Emergency aid is now urgently needed, especially for the roughly 300,000 people made homeless in an instant. HEKS/EPER is therefore supporting some 1750 families and households whose houses and apartments are located within a radius of two kilometres of the site of the explosion and who were therefore hit particularly hard by the disaster. These families are receiving 200 US dollars in unconditional cash, disbursed in two instalments, to enable them buy vital items such as food and toiletries. These immediate measures are being implemented by «Najdeh», the local HEKS/EPER partner organisation of long standing.
HEKS/EPER is also helping with the restoration of badly damaged buildings, including the community centre of the HEKS/EPER partner organisation «Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East» (UAECNE) in Beirut.
Supported by Swiss solidarity, HEKS/EPER has been providing humanitarian aid in Lebanon for many years, including for Syrian refugees and guest families. Besides, as part of church cooperation with Reformed partner churches, HEKS/EPER also supports afternoon schools, basic and continuing education programmes for employees, local church parish initiatives to integrate refugees and recreational activities for children and young people.
Swiss Solidarity is helping to fund the current emergency aid project as well.
Head of Media and Information Department
Dieter Wüthrich
Phone: +41 44 360 88 66
Mobile: +41 76 461 88 70
E-mail: dieter.wuethrich@heks.ch
