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A cold winter in Lebanon

10/01/2007: The winter in the mountainous regions of South Lebanon is rapidly approaching. Though reconstruction is well under way after the 34 day war between the Israeli army and Hizbollah, people are in need of heaters and blankets.

By Morsi, Freelancer for DanChurchAid

About a kilometre from the Israeli border lies Aita El Shaab. It is a small village that was hit hard by the Israeli army’s artillery and even though the war has ended, the smell of cordite still lingers in the air.

Bulldozers have removed the last mounds of rubble and the efforts of several foreign interests’ are rapidly normalising the situation. But the population here are still far from ready to sustain themselves through the coming season.

Distribution of Non Food Items
The distribution is taking place from Nabatiyeh in the North to Aita El Shaab in the South, also covering chosen locations from Tyre in the West to Hassbaya and Bent Jbeil in the East. DanChurchAid locates people eligble for aid through the city councils, pointing out the need of the families in question. Once selected, they receive the Non Food Items (NFIs) within 24 hours. In Aita El Shaab, more than 150 families and 900 individuals has received NFI’s.

Distribution of Non Food Items

The distribution is taking place from Nabatiyeh in the North to Aita El Shaab in the South, also covering chosen locations from Tyre in the West to Hassbaya and Bent Jbeil in the East.

DanChurchAid locates people eligble for aid through the city councils, pointing out the need of the families in question. Once selected, they receive the Non Food Items (NFIs) within 24 hours. In Aita El Shaab, more than 150 families and 900 individuals has received NFI’s.

Distribution of thermal blankets and petrol driven furnishes

DanChurchAid, a member organisation of ACT, has commenced a program in co-operation with the European Commisions Humanitarian Organisation (ECHO) to distribute Non Food Items (NFIs) in the form of thermal blankets and petrol driven furnishes.

“Even if the most basic needs are covered, there is still some way to go before the area is ‘inhabitable’ again. Set aside the cluster bombs, the electricity grid was hit hard and people aren’t able to warm up their homes. The furnishes we are distributing runs on petrol, which is easily accessible here,” says Christina Louise Bennike, Head of the DanChurchAid mission in Lebanon.

Displaced Lebanese people return to their homes

Fatma Hussein returned to her home in Aita El-Shaab just before Christmas. She hadn’t expected to return before this coming summer, taking the fragile situation into account. Together with her husband Khaled Magdy, they fled North, like so many others when the conflict escalated into full scale war.

Until their return, they had been living in their daughters garage just south of Beirut. For them, the NFI distribution meant that they could return to their home well ahead of anticipated time.

The UNHCR’s mission in Lebanon has now ended meaning most internally displaced people have returned or are in the process of returning to their homestead.

“When we heard we were able to spend the winter in our own home, we decided to go back. Our house is still standing, but there is no running water, because there is no electricity. We registered at the local city council and received blankets and a furnish the next day,” says Fatma with a subtle smile and large hand movements.

"The only thing we want is peace"

Their front lawn view is a contrast to the rest of the city. What previously was a row of their neighbour’s homes, is now tell tale signs of what used to be.

A children’s swing stand as sceleton and bears witness to the tremendous forces, that changed the blue panorama.

Fatma and her husband spend most of the day getting warm in the sun, watching the magnificent view of green hills and dark blue skies; peaceful for now.

“The only thing we want is peace,” says Fatma Hussein.