WRF in Lebanon

For more information, please check our Lebanon website:  http://www.wrf.org.lb

Establishment

WRF in Lebanon was initiated based on its primary mission to assist war torn and developing nations with technical and professional training to aid in the medical, psychosocial, and economic rehabilitation of people with disabilities. This assistance started in the early seventies with training activities and material and technical assistance to several rehabilitation institutions. With time, experience and availability of resources, WRF expanded its programs and activities leading to the creation of a local office in 1987 and registration of the organization by official decree from the Council of Ministers.

Programs Implemented

To this day, WRF- Lebanon have implemented five major programs, several pilot projects, as well as helped more than 220 local agencies to provide services for thousands of disadvantaged individuals, with no discrimination as to age, gender, ethnic background, religion, political affiliation or geographic origin.

In 1996, WRF- Lebanon was involved with the development of an innovative cross-disciplinary humanitarian mine action program that aimed, in part, to address the needs of landmine survivors, through expanding economic opportunities in rural areas, with a special focus on South Lebanon. Through the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID), WRF- Lebanon has expanded its landmine awareness program and launched a project to assist landmine survivors in South Lebanon through the development of small business and agri-business enterprises to increase opportunities for economic independence.

Current Project

The Project “Expanding Economic Opportunities for Landmine Survivors in the District of Jizzine, South Lebanon” was launched in October 2001 with funding from Leahy War Victims Fund and the USAID. The objectives of the Project emerged from the limited economic opportunities available and accessible to residents of the Jizzine District in general and the disadvantaged group of landmines survivors in particular.

Driven by the mission to address the needs of disadvantaged and disempowered individuals, and encouraged by achievements and experiences gained, the Project was extended in October 2004 to include in addition to “landmine survivors”, “victims of war” yet preserving the same vision and objectives.

The Project supports four agricultural production and food processing programs: Poultry Raising for Free- Range Egg Production; Beekeeping for Honey Production and by-Products; Herb Cultivation for Production of Herbs and by-Products; and Poultry Raising for Free-Range Chicken Production. These programs are managed by the WRF- Lebanon in partnership with the “Development Cooperative in Jizzine” (COOP), a legally registered cooperative formed of landmine survivors and war victims benefiting from the Jizzine Project.

Production within these programs is being done as “home-based enterprises” where regular professional inspection and management of the farms, apiaries and cultivation fields are continuously done by concerned professionals to assist beneficiaries in the production process and in order to insure the best quality of natural production by providing scientifically appropriate rearing methods. On the other hand, processing activities are run and managed within the framework of the Project’s “Resource Cooperative Center”, which houses six major units: Honey and Wax Processing Unit; Laboratory Unit (for honey testing); Cold Storage Room; Distillation Unit; Product Packaging Center, and Storage Room Unit.

Geographic Coverage

The Project targets the District (Qaza) of Jizzine located in the rural Province (Mohafazat) of South Lebanon. Jizzine District consists of 55 villages, 35 of which are suspected to be infested with landmines (Landmines Resource Center (LMRC) - University of Balamand (UOB)). The District, which was part of the former Israeli-occupied territories, covers approximately two hundred and sixty square kilometers of mountainous land, roughly 2.5 per cent of the total land mass of Lebanon. Before the civil war, the District of Jizzine had a registered population of approximately seventy thousand. Today it has an estimated population of around six thousand in winter and twelve thousand in summer. Other than targeting the District of Jizzine, the Project indirectly targets other areas, mainly regional areas, which use and/or benefit directly or indirectly from the facilities of the Project.

Targeted Population and Beneficiaries

The Project targets needy survivors / victims of landmine explosions and war in the District of Jizzine. Beneficiaries include: (i) surviving individuals injured by landmines, (ii) surviving individuals traumatized by war; (iii) dependents of persons injured by landmines, (iv) dependents of persons injured by war; (v) dependents of persons killed by landmines, and (vi) dependents of persons killed by war.

It was found that a total of 379 individuals in the Jizzine District were affected by landmine, 135 of which were survivors and 244 mortalities (LMRC- UOB). On the other hand, clear and credible data about the number of victims of war and their profile is scarce. Studies conducted by WRF and counterparts in the District suggest a large number that is in the range of several hundred individuals. 

Until this date, the Project have targeted 151 landmine survivors and war victims, 28 per cent of which are females, and are distributed over more than 40 villages in the District. Moreover, full time job positions for more than 10 others have been provided. Thus, in total, the target population for the Project includes more than 1098 individual, including primary beneficiaries and their dependents.

The District of Jizzine is one that suffers, as a whole, from great social and economic need. Within this context, thousands of indirect beneficiaries, involved communities, the District of Jizzine at large, and many other organizations and entities within and outside the District benefit indirectly from the economic and social activities generated by the Project. Those indirect beneficiaries have included so far: (i) Suppliers of office equipment, furniture and supplies; (ii) suppliers of chicks and poultry related materials; (iii) suppliers of bees and beekeeping related materials; (iv) suppliers of herb seedlings and cultivation related equipment; (v) building contractors; (vi) landlords; (vii) entrepreneurs; (viii) concerned consultants and professionals; (ix) distributors of food products; (xi) labor workers; and (xii) general community members. Add to these the consumers who are enjoying quality fresh free-range eggs, quality honey, and fresh and processed herbs.

Outcomes and Achievements

With support from concerned counterparts and coordination with the COOP, the Jizzine Project achieved it primarily objective by expanding the socio-economic productivity and viability of involved disadvantaged and disempowered landmine survivors and war victims, allowing them to assume productive and empowered roles within their families and communities. Moreover, it succeeded in socially integrating the beneficiaries and their families into the community, developing their technical and managerial skills, and involving them in decision-making.

On the community level, the Project has also succeeded in developing sustainable socio-economic activities that emphasize the empowerment, mobilization, and utilization of personal, family and community resources.

Furthermore, the Jizzine Project has reached several major and specific achievements. These achievements include:

• Development of a legally registered cooperative, “Development Cooperative in Jizzine” (COOP), which is formed by landmine survivors and war victims benefiting from the Jizzine Project. The COOP currently includes 136 registered members distributed among the Project’s four programs.

• Development of a “Recourse Cooperative Center” that include 6 major units accessible to all community members, these units include: Honey and Wax Processing Unit; Laboratory Unit (for honey testing); Cold Storage Room; Distillation Unit; Product Packaging Center; and Storage Room Unit.

• Launching of a registered brand name (B.Balady®), logos and packages for the products produced within the Project’s four production line programs.

• Development of a “website for the COOP” in cooperation with the Professional Computer Association (PCA).

• Establishment of a complex marketing distribution channel of B.Balady products, which are being distributed, specifically eggs, in 96 local marketing channels.

• Establishment of a “B.Balady Retail Shop”, one of the major income generating activities for the COOP, where B.Balady products, in addition to tools and equipments required within the Project’s four programs, are displayed and sold.

• Establishment of a “B.Balady Internet Café” that in addition to generating additional income to the COOP, provides an opportunity for interested community members, especially COOP members and their families to: (i) use the offered services at the B.Balady Internet Center for educational, training and entertainment purposes, (ii) develop their skills in computer use, and (iii) develop the technical and financial potentials of the COOP though initiation of job opportunities. 

• Development and design of an “accounting system”, which responds best to the accounting, auditing and financial management needs of the COOP, its various operating procedures, and its financial relationships with members and non-members.