Home: Freunde Waldorf

Lebanon: Meals and Stability for Refugee Families

News ,  Current news ,  Emergency pedagogy

When the war in Lebanon began in September, one of the greatest challenges was helping the families from the south who had fled towards Beirut. Many had to flee so quickly that they had no time to pack, arriving without any personal belongings. Schools were quickly converted into shelters. Our partner organization in Lebanon, Step Together, immediately began delivering 200 meals to one of the schools to ensure food security. The team at Step Together, a curative school in Beirut whose staff are also active in Emergency and Trauma Pedagogy, reports how they perceived the situation on the ground:

The work was particularly challenging on a security level, especially in public schools. The families were extremely stressed, and the children were in a state of total chaos – without routine or targeted support. Their need for stability and support was obvious.

Therefore, we decided to offer Emergency and Trauma Pedagogy measures twice a week in collaboration with the communities of Mount Lebanon. As a result, we were able to help more than a hundred refugee children who were accommodated in various schools. Additionally, we were asked to provide support in an area severely affected by bombings near Dahyeh (a suburb of Beirut). Despite all the challenges, we remained steadfast in our goal of providing Emergency Pedagogical services.

Every day was a test of our resilience and commitment. Sleepless nights and constant worries about our own safety did not stop us from continuing our work. With courage, we worked daily, knowing that our efforts were significantly improving the lives of the children and their families. For example, from the children’s drawings, we could read their experiences and emotions. Dark colors, as well as expressions of frustration, aggression, shyness, withdrawal, and fear, reflected the traumas they had endured. Despite the pain, the visibly positive impact of our work gave us a sense of relief and fulfillment.

The gratitude we received from the families and school directors in conversations was overwhelming. They eagerly awaited our activities and greatly appreciated our ongoing support. The positive stories we collected during our missions are a testament to the strength and resilience of our community.

Although the path was full of challenges, the hope and relief we were able to bring to the needy families made every effort worthwhile.

Empower & donate now
Empower & donate now