Lebanon: The Fatal Effects of the War in Ukraine
There ain't no rest for the people in Lebanon. The war in Ukraine is a danger for the local people - even though there are almost 2,000 kilometres between Kiev and Beirut.
Lebanon gets more than 70 percent of its wheat from Ukraine. Poverty, corruption, a severe economic crisis and the explosion at the port of Beirut two years ago - as if that were not enough, there is now the threat of a famine on a huge scale. Wheat deliveries are only slowly starting up again, and a lack of storage capacity and obstructions to transports keep delaying the process. At the beginning of August, there was speculation about the journey of the freighter "Razoni": postponed arrivals, blocked trade routes and corridors - every delivery becomes a gamble for those it is supposed to help. And in the case of the "Razoni", there was only maize on board. It would not be suitable for the bread that is urgently needed in Lebanon, but it would be suitable for the supply of chickens, which could at least secure eggs and meat. Wheat and bread, on the other hand, are becoming scarcer and more expensive. And the sudden decline of the Lebanese pound is also plunging people further into poverty.
Johanniter is helping on the ground: We don't forget the people in Lebanon!
The people in this already badly damaged country need us. Only together can we prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. That is why Johanniter is helping short term to provide food for 430 particularly vulnerable families, including victims of the port explosion in 2020. Large families, elderly people, disabled people, and minorities benefit from our help. Because what these people don't need, in a country that is severely struggling, is the worry: will we have food tomorrow?
At the beginning of this year, we extensively analysed the worrying situation on the ground and evaluated it again in April. On the ground, needs are directly assessed and verified with aid recipients to ensure that our aid reaches where it is needed. In doing so, we target especially vulnerable households: Families headed by women, large families, families with disabled or health-impaired persons and the elderly. With this, we estimate that we will be able to help almost 2,000 people on the ground.
The Ukraine war affects us all. It affects our lives, drives up prices and threatens the whole world. But especially countries like Lebanon need our help now.
