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Material and mental healing get underway

© Toya Hill, ACT International

School children at Souane Elementary School have been able to return to the classroom now that International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), a member of ACT International, has repaired their building. Lebanon 2006

By Toya Richards Hill, ACT International

For 20 days students at the public kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school could not use their building because it was "very badly damaged" in the fighting, said Farid Hamra, a construction specialist for International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), a member of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International.

"Most of the schools were hit directly," Hamra said, adding that the average budgeted for the schools is US$20,000. The repair work is being done using contractors obtained through a bidding process carried out via ads placed in local newspapers.

All of the windows were broken, and the school had shrapnel throughout, among other things, Hamra said. Yet with the help of IOCC-ACT and US$13,000 in repairs, including electrical and sanitary work, painting and aluminum maintenance, the school is open again.

Today the children "are doing OK

They are singing, even when they hear airplanes," kindergarten teacher Oussama Mzanniar said on November 2.

Souane is one of 23 schools that IOCC-ACT is committed to restoring in four districts in South Lebanon-Marjeyoun, Hasbayya, Bint Jbeil and Tyre-with funding from the U.S. government. The organization’s commitments also include non-food relief supplies to 2,900 vulnerable families and water and sanitation projects in 30 villages.

Comprehensice relief effort underway in Lebanon

On a broader scale, IOCC’s work is part of a comprehensive relief effort underway by ACT members in the country through an initial appeal aimed at raising US$6.2 million. Currently US$2.8 million has been pledged and received.

In addition to IOCC, the Middle East Council of Churches ’ (MECC) Inter-Church Network for Development and Relief in Lebanon is repairing schools and distributing:

• food
• blankets
• hygiene kits
• cooking utensils
• heaters and other relief supplies.

With the support of Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), MECC is also re-establishing water supplies. Christian Aid , which will join these two ACT members in a forthcoming revision of the ACT appeal, will work with disabled people and provide livelihood assistance to small farmers, craftsmen and shop owners.

DanChurchAid is clearing mines in Lebanon

Two other ACT members are also working in Lebanon outside of the ACT appeal, but are coordinating with MECC. Church of Sweden is providing psychosocial rehabilitation, and DanChurchAid is clearing mines and unexploded ammunition .

© Toya Hill, ACT International

Hussein Sultan, 10, shows the remains of injuries he received when an unexploded bomb went off while he and his friends played near a house in the Souane area that was destroyed in the fighting. Read more: DanChurchAid's humanitarian mine action work

For proof that the relief effort is working, simply look at 10-year-old Hussein Sultan, who was injured when an unexploded bomb went off while he and friends played near a home in the Souane area that was destroyed in the fighting.

Sultan survived, although one of his friends was not as lucky. And though he spent a number of days in the hospital being treated for metal shrapnel in his lungs, he is now back with the other children at Souane Elementary School.

Much is improving, and there are success stories, but at the same time most agree there is still considerable work left to do, particularly in terms of psychological healing in areas closest to where the fighting took place. Many say activities like art, movies and plays will go a long way toward helping the children forget.

The students "are not fully recovered," said Khalil Haider, a principal at Aaitaroun Elementary School, another school that IOCC is repairing very near the Israel-Lebanon border, where some of the most intense fighting occurred. "They are not feeling safe*They have a strong fear."

More psychosocial programs including entertainment and music are needed, stressed Haider, whose school was so badly damaged that it needed US$24,500 in repairs.

"If we can provide a small smile, it will give a lot for a depressed student," he said.

Toya Richards Hill is a reporter for Presbyterian News Service who has been seconded to the ACT team working in Beirut, Lebanon, by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (Presbyterian Church [USA]), a member of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International.

DanChurchAid is a member of ACT International - a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies.