Updated: March 2009
Lebanon
Overview | World Vision's history in Lebanon| World Vision in Lebanon today
OverviewThe Republic of Lebanon, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Two mountain ranges dominate the landscape; one in the east that serves as the border with Syria, and one in the west, parallel to the Mediterranean. The western mountain range contains the last remaining groves of the Cedars of Lebanon, used by the ancient Phoenicians to build ships, houses, and temples. Between the mountain ranges lies the fertile Beqaa Valley. Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that does not have a desert. The climate is characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Natural resources include limestone, iron ore, salt, drinkable water, and arable land.Arabic is the country’s official language, though French, English, and Armenian are also widely spoken and taught in schools. More than 95 percent of Lebanese people are Arabic. The remaining population consists of Armenians, Kurds, Jews, and Persians. Many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians. There are also more than 400,000 Palestinian and 600,000 Iraqi refugees living in camps throughout Lebanon. In 1920, the League of Nations granted the land that is present-day Lebanon to France, which would rule for 23 years. After a series of conflicts with French authorities, Lebanon achieved independence on November 22, 1943. The country’s history since independence has been marked by civil war and political turmoil. The one exception was in the 1960s when Lebanon enjoyed a period of peace, focusing on banking and tourism in the capital city of Beirut. The calm was shattered in April 1975 when Lebanese gunmen ambushed a bus and killed 27 Palestinian passengers, claiming that Palestinian guerillas had previously attacked their church. |  |
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| That event spawned a 16-year civil war filled with car bombs, rocket-propelled attacks, and assassinations. By the end of hostilities in May 1991, more than 100,000 people had been killed, another 100,000 left handicapped, and 900,000 people displaced from their homes. Nearly 20,000 people are still categorized as “missing” or unaccounted for. Post-war recovery hit a setback in July 2006 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, killing several Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with airstrikes setting off a 34-day war between Hezbollah paramilitary forces and Israeli forces. A cease-fire was declared a month later, but not until 1,200 Lebanese and 150 Israelis had been killed. The civil war of previous decades took a toll on the nation’s economy, cutting exports by nearly half, and ending the country’s prominent banking industry. Since 1991, however, Lebanon has repaired much of its physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily from domestic and international banks, accumulating nearly $40 billion in debt. With the government focused on rebuilding, the poor have suffered from lack of services. More than 1 million people—approximately 28 percent of the population—live in poverty, as do an additional 100,000 Palestinian refugees. Unemployment is estimated at 18 percent nationally, but in rural areas, it is closer to 25 percent. For decades, Lebanon was known as the “classroom of the Middle East,” attracting students from all over the region for enrollment in secondary and higher education. Recently junior high school students tested significantly below the international average in math and science, causing the Lebanese Ministry of Education to launch a series of reforms to improve the quality of education. Investigators found that schools located in rural or war-torn neighborhoods were forced to employ under-qualified teachers due to a lack of funding and provided few if any instructional resources. Families in poor communities as well as in the Palestinian refugee camps suffer from a variety of illnesses. Health care can cost impoverished families an average of more than 50 percent of their annual income, making access to adequate services not economically feasible. Following its efforts in constructing new hospitals and health centers, in the next five years, the government plans to develop a general health policy that ensures sufficient health services to people in all regions of the country. Back to top World Vision's history in LebanonWorld Vision’s involvement in Lebanon began in 1975 with child-care work through schools and health-care institutions. In response to the civil war, World Vision became involved in relief work, including the supply of food, medication, and clothing to displaced families. Projects in the late 1970s included emergency repairs to the shell-damaged Near East Boys’ Home, reconstruction of the Christian Medical Center, help for families in and around Beirut who wanted to repair damaged houses, and aid to the Cedars Capabilities Center for physically and mentally handicapped children.Relief work continued throughout the 1980s. During this time, World Vision continued to provide children with educational support. By the end of the war, World Vision child sponsorship was provided to more than 15,000 children in schools throughout Lebanon. Since the signing of the peace accords in 1991, World Vision has been active in several resettlement and land reclamation projects, which enable internally displaced people to return to their homes. In the late 1990s, World Vision began a new networking collaboration with communities through a participatory approach. Community development projects included programs in nutrition, education, health care, and agriculture, as well as vocational and skills training for children, parents, and community members. More than 2,000 families in 24 villages were supported with emergency food and household supplies when the Israelis withdrew from areas it had occupied for almost 20 years in May of 2000. In the 21st century, World Vision has focused on religious education for youth, health care and supplemental feeding for mothers and children, nutrition, and agricultural improvements. Recent fighting forced staff to temporarily suspend operations and focus on meeting the critical needs of civilians who were displaced or otherwise affected by the crisis. World Vision’s response came shortly after the most recent fighting began by distributing food, water, and hygiene supplies to 30,000 displaced people living in schools, churches, and parking garages. Back to top World Vision in Lebanon todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Lebanon to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. Currently, 13,390 children are registered in the World Vision sponsorship program. Several times this number of children and other family members benefit from World Vision activities. Of these registered children, many have World Vision sponsors in other countries. U.S. donors sponsor nearly 8,900 girls and boys. In addition, World Vision operates seven development programs, five of which are supported by U.S. donors. Highlights of these efforts include the following:
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