Lebanon (MNN) — Far from just impacting Beirut itself, the massive explosion on August 4th will negatively affect millions of refugees who fled to Lebanon from hardship in their own countries.
Anne Hamming of Tent Schools International says they have received word from their partner in Lebanon: “The word we’re getting so far is that this explosion is going to make a dire situation even more desperate. With the port destroyed, [it will be hard] to have food and supplies that could reach the refugees who are farther out. Most of the ones we work with are, you know, farther out into the countryside.”
Many refugees live outside Beirut, but many live in the city as well. In fact, several of the people who died in the explosion were Syrian refugees who were working at the docks.
A van loaded with supplies to be distributed to tent schools. (Photo courtesy of Tent Schools International on Facebook)
Economic impact
Hamming says, “As the economic impact hits the Lebanese in terms of closed businesses, their gross domestic product is going to take a major hit. When it’s hard for ordinary Lebanese citizens. It’s even harder for the refugees. Unemployment will rise, shortage of supplies and food will impact them.”
In terms of Tent School’s response, Hamming says, “We are talking about how do we perhaps retool our upcoming funding campaigns to help meet the needs of our students and the staff at our school there. [We are] identifying through our partner what the most immediate needs will be for them for food and for education.”
Pray God will give Tent Schools International wisdom as they continue providing humanitarian relief and education to Lebanon’s refugees.
The header photo shows a Syrian refugees in Lebanon (Photo/caption courtesy of EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations via Flickr) https://flic.kr/p/ePqsiq
