More than 10,000 Syrian refugees received vital aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the body said in a statement Thursday, noting that it has been the largest food distribution it has ever made in Lebanon since the start of Syria’s war.
The relief agency traveled to north Lebanon to distribute 90 tons of food to those in need. Aid was also supplied to Dreib al-Awsat in the governorate of Akkar. Each food parcel is made to last a family of five for at least one month.
“It’s the first time we have made such a large food distribution in Lebanon since the Syrian crisis began,” said Jeroen Carrin, the coordinator of the food distribution for the ICRC. “It’s a sign that needs are growing significantly.”
Due to the restricted mobility of many Syrian refugees – who have been unable to fulfill new requirements to maintain legal status – delivering aid to remote areas has been an essential component to the humanitarian response. However, the shrinking budget of numerous relief agencies has prohibited many agencies from reaching those most vulnerable, though ICRC has tried to fill that void.
“The people in the Dreib al-Awsat area are facing particularly difficult conditions. The host communities were already living in poor conditions prior to the crisis. They are now sharing the burden with a large number of refugees who sought safety in their villages,” Carrin said.
Lebanon is overwhelmed with the presence of over 1 million Syrian refugees on its territories who are placing immense pressure on its already feeble infrastructure. Donor states have repetitively pledged Lebanon with financial aid to help it cope with the crisis, but very little have lived up to their promises.
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