Cold and rain put forcibly displaced children at even greater risk in Lebanon

BEIRUT (March 18, 2026) – As heavy rain and falling temperatures continue to affect Lebanon, displaced children and families are facing increasingly harsh and unsafe living conditions, with many exposed to the cold in tents, unfinished buildings, and severely overcrowded shelters, warns Christian humanitarian organization World Vision.

According to the United Nations, more than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon in just over 2.5 weeks, including nearly 300,000 children. While the Lebanese government reports around 132,700 individuals are currently hosted in collective shelters, most families are finding refuge in the streets, informal sites, unfinished buildings, automobiles, or rented accommodation, often in conditions that lack adequate access to basic services and protection.

World Vision teams in Lebanon have been rapidly scaling up support to meet urgent needs. As of March 16th, World Vision has reached more than 150,000 people, including nearly 53,000 children, with life-saving assistance in shelters. This includes blankets, mattresses, winter clothing, and heating support such as stoves, alongside food assistance, hot meals, hygiene kits, and trauma-informed care and psychosocial support.

Winterization support remains critical as temperatures drop and rainfall is expected to continue in the coming days, worsening already difficult conditions for families living in inadequate shelter.

“Protection of children must be the top priority for all involved in responding to this escalation,” explained Heidi Diedrich, World Vision’s national director in Lebanon. “This includes ensuring proper shelter for children and all displaced families, shelter that provides access to food, clean water, and a warm, safe place to lay their heads’ at night.”

Lebanese children “continue to be exposed to crisis-after-crisis with acute poverty of 60 percent nationwide and reaching 70 percent in some areas,” she said.

Razane, a 12-year-old displaced girl from South Lebanon, shared: “We are not happy here. It’s very cold and we need something to keep us warm, like stoves and heaters.”

World Vision continues working with local partners and communities to deliver assistance quickly, including supporting community kitchens and distributing essential winter items to displaced families most exposed to the severe weather.

But as needs escalate rapidly, existing resources are no longer enough.

Humanitarian organizations, including World Vision, urgently require rapid and flexible funding to scale up life-saving assistance, expand their reach, and respond effectively to the growing needs of vulnerable families affected by the crisis.

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X @WorldVisionUSA.