In Lebanon, one in every three is a refugee
Lebanon has the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. 250,000 Palestinians have been joined by an estimated 1.5 million Syrians. The population has swelled to 4.5 million in a country that’s 12 times smaller than New York. One in three is a refugee; bereft of basic human rights and forced to the fringe of an unequal society. They’re not allowed to vote, barred from applying for certain jobs and even a passport.
Burj Barajneh, our fringe
Burj Barajneh is a concrete labyrinth that hides 30,000 of Lebanon’s social outcasts. It’s a hard place to survive. Our success so far is due to our ground staff. We’ve assembled a perfect storm of talent and experience; our team are connected, respected locals and legends. They’ve grown up in the camp and made it out. They were born into the same lives as our kids and understand the struggle. So when they speak, everybody listens. Collectively, they command the respect to unite rival political factions and convince them that together we can improve our society by working in harmony.
Making a difference
Soldiers of the same struggle hustle together. We liaise, coordinate and share information with all the NGOs operating in the camp. Collectively, our staff have worked for the biggest international charities in Beirut – the UN, Red Cross, UNRWA and MSF. We’ve maintained these relationships while adopting the same high standards, efficiency and ethics in all our operations. All of our gang are humanitarians at heart, so we’re constantly involved with community projects that connect Palestinians all over Lebanon.
It’s a daily fight to survive the consequences from a war so brutal it never really ended. To succeed, we need to fight this forgotten battle together.
These are the people helping to make a difference in Burj Barajneh.
- United Nations (UN)
- UNRWA (United Nation Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian refugees)
- Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
- Lebanese Red Cross
