Lebanon, once prosperous, was hobbled by a 15-year civil war that cut its national output in half. After the war ended in 1990, Lebanon rebuilt much of its infrastructure, but political instability continued to take a heavy toll through 2008. A period of relative stability and a subsequent revival in tourism helped the country grow economically, and unemployment is a low 6.4%. Still, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people are unable to meet their basic needs — about 27% live below the national poverty line.

The north of Lebanon has been most severely strained by an influx of refugees crossing the border from Syria due to the ongoing crisis there. 1.5 million Syrian refugees have now been registered in Lebanon—a country whose own population does not exceed 4.4. million. In a country already suffering from weak infrastructure, the high percentage of refugees greatly affects both the economic and social climate.

And now, Lebanon finds itself facing an impending famine: According to a report on Telegraph.co.uk, “There are two initial pillars of food security, explained an official at the UN’s World Food Program. Firstly, having enough food in the country and secondly, people having the purchasing power to access it. Lebanon is facing a double whammy with a hit to both pillars at the same time.” The report continued, “In all corners of the tiny Mediterranean country, the middle class are becoming poor and the poor are sliding into destitution, as food prices are pushed beyond the means of most people.”

This, with the addition of the COVID-19 pandemic and man-made travesties—like the bomb blast in August 2020—exacerbates the hardships that families across Lebanon face.

With all this considered, one thing remains clear: The people of Lebanon are resilient and, with the support of donors like you, families in need there can access opportunities to break the chains of poverty and move toward success.