Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) Supports 500 Orphans in Lebanon through its Cash Assistance Program

Photo of a Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) team member helping an orphan select new clothes.

Unfortunately, the state of hunger and deprivation is very common for millions in Lebanon. Due to the economic collapse of 2019 and its ongoing financial crisis, the population of Lebanon has been left facing devastating humanitarian, economic, and structural challenges. Enduring significant civilian casualties, massive displacement, and extensive destruction of infrastructure, the airstrike forced families to flee, with the financial toll of the strikes estimated at $8.5 billion, further crippling an already strained national economy.

As for the economic collapse - one of the worst global crises in over 150 years - the Lebanese pound has lost 97% of its value against the U.S. dollar. Overnight, over 80% of the population was plunged into unexpected poverty. This economic crisis, worsened by soaring inflation, has severely impacted food security, as Lebanon relies heavily on imports for essential commodities like wheat. The additional lingering effects of the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion have compounded these issues, crippling infrastructure and economic activity, leaving most of the population struggling to meet basic needs.

In Lebanon, the humanitarian crisis has reached critical levels, with millions of people requiring urgent assistance across all population groups. Nearly 2.2 million Lebanese citizens, 208,000 Palestinian refugees, and 78,000 Syrian refugees depend entirely upon humanitarian aid. Amongst the most vulnerable are the orphans, who, having lost one or both of their parents, are left stranded with no security, stability or opportunity, struggling for survival.

Aware of the dire situation orphans face in Lebanon, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) established an Orphans’ Cash Assistance Program in the cities of Akkar and Tripoli, which ran from the 1st of July 2024, to the 31st of December 2024. This program supported 500 orphans and their caregivers by distributing $45 each month to help them cover essential needs such as food, housing, healthcare, children’s education, and other necessary expenses.

In Lebanon's difficult economic conditions, the absence of a breadwinner leaves many orphaned children and their families struggling to meet basic needs. This sponsorship program not only addressed their immediate needs but also invested in their futures by supporting access to education and healthcare, helping them build a foundation for a better life.

The program was also able to provide further support to the orphans: 303 electrical heaters were distributed to orphan households along with 303 food baskets. They were also given active sportswear, enabling them to participate in physical activities and sports. These gifts, along with the monthly sponsorship payments, provided a long-forgotten sense of security and stability to these vulnerable orphans, evoking emotional relief and joy in the children and their caretakers, as the immense burden of providing was lifted from their families and guardians.

Warmed by the generosity of your donations, the beneficiaries were uplifted emotionally and psychologically, rekindling their sense of hope and optimism for the future. Like the little bird that goes out in search of food, these orphans can return to a warm home, protected from harsh winter weather, with full bellies, secure in the knowledge that LIFE’s donors and staff will be there for them.

   Photos of the Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) Orphan Distribution in Lebanon.