UPDATE: In September 2022, Medical Teams transitioned our Lebanon programming to another organization. Since 2013, our Lebanon program served many people in response to the Syria crisis. The program evolved over the years into a strong community health system that ensures access to physical and mental health care for vulnerable Syrian refugees.

We are proud of our team for what they achieved during the last nine years, and we trust that our Lord will provide for them and the Syrian refugee communities who are now healthier and more equipped to pursue health for themselves and their families. We deeply appreciate your prayers for our staff as they transition.

Our hearts are with the people of Lebanon. We will continue to stay attentive to needs and circumstances in this part of the world, particularly in response to natural disasters.

Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

Syrian refugees in Lebanon continue to face significant challenges due to their inability to work or move freely throughout the country. As a result, our strategy is to meet families where they are — providing care for those suffering from serious health conditions.

Syrian Refugees Stuck Without Medical Care

Years of war in Syria has had a huge impact on the entire region. Millions of refugees have fled the country in search of safety. In neighboring Lebanon, more than a quarter of the country’s population are Syrian refugees.

Host countries like Lebanon try to care for Syrian refugees, but can’t absorb such immense numbers. Your support improves health in informal refugee settlements, relieving pressure on the local health system. To improve health in these areas, we rely on trained Refugee Outreach Volunteers.

Training Refugee Volunteers as Health Workers

Medical Teams is improving the health of the Syrian refugee community through a network of refugee volunteers in informal settlements in the Bekaa Valley. Refugee Outreach Volunteers teach their neighbors how to stay healthy. They gather community members for informational sessions on issues like mental health, breast cancer and COVID-19. They check on people with chronic diseases.

During a pandemic like COVID-19, they share up-to-date information on how to stay safe and when to seek help. They act as the “eyes and ears” of the community. When someone is sick, refugee volunteers are the ones called to help. The volunteers act as a bridge, connecting sick people to the right medical providers.

Access to health services will continue to be a significant challenge for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. We are committed to building effective and sustainable health systems to address these needs and bring healing to people in crisis.

Medical Teams’ work in Lebanon was made possible through the generous support of Humedica International Aid.