2007 Lebanon Emergency

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRWA inaugurated today a US funded Health Center in Nahr el-Bared camp adjacent area in the presence of US Ambassador Michele Sisson, Ambassador Khalil Makkawi, chairman of the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee and the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Salvatore Lombardo.  

The ceremony took place in UNRWA compound in Tripoli where a briefing was given to the visitors and a presentation was made on the project. Then, the US Ambassador had an open discussion with healthcare providers and a group of beneficiaries. 

The new health center is located in Sector A of the adjacent area to Nahr el-Bared camp and currently manages 748 active files of displaced families who have returned to this area. The construction of the NBC Health Center 2 added to the capacity of the NBC Health Center I, established at the end of the crisis which treats on average 192 patients per day. NBC Health Center II began operating on November 28, 2008.

Thanks to the generous donation of the US Government, UNRWA will be able to provide more health services to the displaced refugees from Nahr el-Bared. The US has always been an outstanding supporter of UNRWA, and this particular donation marks a significant improvement to the life of the Palestine Refugees. “Access to quality health services is of fundamental importance to people who have been displaced from their homes and who face difficult conditions,” said Salvatore Lombardo, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon. 

The US has contributed to UNRWA since Nahr el-Bared crisis broke out in 2007. The US contributed $3.5 million to UN´s initial Flash Appeal, and it was the first donor to respond to UNRWA’s Emergency Appeal for North Lebanon with a pledge of $10.5 million. Again the US continued its support to Palestine refugees by donating to UNRWA $4.31 million to the Relief and Early Recovery Appeal and $ 23.5 million the Reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared. 

The US has always contributed generously to UNRWA. In 2008, the US donated 85.86 m$ to the Agency’s General Fund.

Today the Government of Japan has concluded an agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in which Japan will contribute Yen 588 million (US$ 5.5 million) to the Agency’s Emergency Appeal for Northern Lebanon. 

A signing ceremony was held today at UNRWA’s Lebanon Field Office in Beirut in which UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Karen AbuZayd, and the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Yoshihisa Kuroda, signed an Exchange of Notes.  This Japanese contribution will support the construction of temporary shelters for the displaced from Nahr El Bared camp, as well as two prefabricated schools in Northern Lebanon, the provision of psycho-social support for traumatized children and hygiene kits.   

This contribution will promote peace-building and help improve living conditions for displaced families by providing them with secure housing pending their return to the reconstructed camp. It will also ensure access to formal education for Palestine refugee students for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year and will help the displaced children recover from the trauma of the war.

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd said “with this generous donation, Japan is signalling its commitment to our emergency work in Lebanon and the Nahr el Bared project which will be the largest in UNRWA’s history. This is a major challenge and I am delighted that donors like Japan are offering us their support. My gratitude goes out to the people and Government of Japan.” 

Beirut – 5 February 2008: A high level delegation representing UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) donor countries visited Nahr el Bared and Bedawwi Camps today, and were briefed by senior officials from the UNRWA about the progress made at Nahr El Bared and the Agency’s projects in neighbouring Bedawwi Camp.
“Rebuilding Nahr el Bared will be the single largest project in UNRWA’s history,” said Richard Cook, Director of the UNRWA office in Lebanon, “and the relationship between UNRWA and our donors will be increasingly important as we move forward towards reconstruction of the camp.”
The donor delegation began the day with a tour of Beddawi Camp, where they visited the office of the Palestinian Reconstruction Committee which, together with UNRWA, is working on the master plan for the reconstruction of Nahr El Bared. The donors then toured the Agency’s installations in Bedawwi and met displaced families.
The delegation moved to the area adjacent to Nahr EL Bared Camp where they visited returnees, UNRWA’s clinic and other installations.
“We are delighted with the co-operation and support we are receiving from the Lebanese government,” said Richard Cook. “The army has informed us that UNRWA will be given access to the official camp as soon as the displaced people have visited the various areas of the camp to look for their belongings. We hope this is going to be done in a systematic manner. ”
Tomorrow, the donor representatives will be briefed by UNRWA’s senior officials about the progress of the work in the new camp and the preparations for the reconstruction of the old camp. They will also meet with representatives of the Lebanese Government and the World Bank.
They will end their visit with a tour in Shatilla camp in southern Beirut, where they will be updated on UNRWA’s current activities and its future projects and challenges.

Beirut - 31 December 2007 - Nine thousand children from the Nahr El Bared camp in Lebanon destroyed in fighting are now able in the New Year to return to school in temporary schools located in the Beddawi and Nahr El Bared areas thanks to a donation of US$ 1.277 million made by Dubai Cares.  

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Mrs. Karen Abu-Zayd warmly welcomed the US$ 1.277 million donation from Dubai Cares, “an organization which has risen from the society of Dubai, whose leader has inspired his people to donate enthusiastically to a good cause: the education of poor children”, she said.  

Dubai Cares was launched with spectacular success earlier this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with an original aim of raising money to help educate 1 million children in poor countries. The campaign to raise funds having already exceeded expectations by raising $465 million, this amount was doubled by a generous contribution from Shaikh Mohammed himself, making Dubai Cares one of the best endowed humanitarian establishments in the region. 

With Dubai Cares’ contribution, UNRWA has rented, furnished and equipped schools in the Beddawi camp area and the area adjacent to Nahr El Bared, to allow displaced children to continue their education as normally as possible, pending reconstruction of the camp and the schools it contained. Traumatised children will be receiving psychological support, and recreational activities will be organised for them.  The Commissioner-General said that, “one cannot imagine the distress of all these displaced children who have had to live in miserable conditions because of the conflict in North Lebanon. Schooling will bring them stability and extra-curricular activities will create a favourable environment for their psychological development.”  

UNRWA provides basic education to 500,000 Palestine refugee children in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. In addition, the Agency has developed programmes for children, according to their needs, such as remedial education, support for those with learning disabilities and other special needs.

Beirut – December 17, 2007:

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East has received more than US $2 million donation for the university scholarships program in Lebanon for the school year 2007-2008.

Since 1999, with the general support of country donors UNRWA has been able to assist hundreds of Palestinians students attend tertiary institutions in Lebanon, an opportunity rarely afforded to refugee students.

Thanks to this donation, the program will allow qualified Palestine refugee students the opportunity to pursue higher academic education at universities in Lebanon, thereby increasing their chances of finding employment and improving their quality of life.

For the school year 2007-2008, UNRWA received more than 400 applications for scholarships from Palestinian students throughout Lebanon. The scholarships account for university tuition fees in full, as well as other education related expenses through out the years of study for the first university degree.

The 106 students who met the criteria have been selected to pursue their studies at various tertiary institutions in Lebanon including: the Beirut Arab University, Lebanese International University, Hariri Canadian University, Balamand University and Lebanese American University. Currently 255 Palestine refugee students, including this years’ intake (92 Males &163 Females) have attained scholarships at universities in Lebanon

The scholarships were granted in the following areas of study: Engineering, Pharmacy, Biology, Nutrition, Computer Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Sciences, Business Administration, History, English, and Nursing.

UNRWA’s thanks go out to the following donors: IDRC Scholarship Programme (donated by Canada, Qatar, Spain, USA, EU, France), European Union Scholarship Programme, the AGFUND Scholarship Programme (donated by Prince Talal Bin Abed Aziz), and the Japan Scholarship Programme and Karim Rida Said Foundation.

Beirut – 29 November 2007:

Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment have provided the students of Nahr el-Bared camp with an in-kind donation totalling US $310,000. The donation includes educational items such as school bags, stationary and clothes for 3,100 elementary school students for the scholastic year 2007-2008.

The Charities’ representatives and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) officials distributed the items to students in UNRWA schools temporarily accommodated in rented schools in Beddawi locality.

Sven Berthelsen, Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs welcomed the donation.

“This practical donation will help students who are beginning their academic year. Students from Nahr el-Bared lost all their belongings, including educational text books and necessities and these items are important to get them back to school,” Mr Berthelsen said.

UNRWA has installed two prefabricated schools in the vicinity of Beddawi camp to provide education to students from Nahr el-Bared and Beddawi camps. In addition, the Agency has rented schools.

As of 26 November, 2500 children have already begun their academic year and the remaining 6500 students will follow in mid December.

UNRWA provides health, education and social services to Palestine refugees in the Near East.