The post Press Release 09-26-2024: UMR Lebanon Emergency Response appeared first on UMR.

Both Syria and Türkiye have declared a state of emergency after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the two countries early Monday morning.

At least 11,500 people are dead, more than 50,000 people are injured, and at least 11,000 buildings were destroyed. The death toll is expected to rise sharply as rescue workers continue to search for survivors in the rubble.

 

UMR is responding in the form of food baskets, winter care kits, emergency health kits for households, and Interagency Emergency Health Kits for hospitals and medical clinics.

To reiterate, in a disaster of this proportion, any donation will make a difference in the lives of individuals who lost everything.

Donate Now

The post Türkiye, Syria earthquake; death toll expected to rise appeared first on UMR.

UMR CEO and President Dr. Abed Ayoub spoke about the devastating earthquake, “UMR currently is working with international communities teams on the ground, which are also providing emergency aid, as we look to see what the other major needs are. Our resources are heading to the areas most heavily affected by the earthquake yesterday, where huge numbers of houses, markets, and hospitals have been destroyed and the food supply is dwindling. This means international aid is more important now than ever.”

The post 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Slams Turkey and Syria (UMR’s Emergency Response) appeared first on UMR.

Millions around the world are enduring freezing temperatures. So many people are living in uncertainty. Many are taking refuge in different parts of the world in countries like- Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Egypt.

The Syrian refugee winter crisis has brought down extreme poverty to millions of displaced people. Life has become uncertain for them. The Syrian refugees have been passing winter by living in makeshift tents. 

Jordan now hosts approximately 675,000 registered refugees from Syria, who began fleeing in 2011 for safety. Concerned at this dire situation, UMR has given the hope of survival to the Syrian refugees by distributing winter-care kits.

What’s Happening in Syria?

Syria has been undergoing 11 years of conflict, which has extended suffering in millions of people. 22 million people fled their homes before the war, and 6.9 million were internally displaced. This ongoing hostility has created complex emergencies in the world. As a result, people have been suffering from a lack of proper food, clothes, shelter, and healthcare.

How the winter is affecting Syrian Refugees

Extreme freezing temperatures exacerbated by heavy rain have increased people’s suffering. Families living in urban slums are living in fragile home conditions amidst the severe winter.

About 1.7 million people live in uncertainty in the war zone in tented settlements. Their tents have collapsed or are badly damaged, causing the death of at least three children from the snowstorm. The Syrian refugee camp in neighboring countries – Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, as well as those living in the rest of the war-torn nation, are all being affected by the bitterness of winter.

Moreover, the lack of fuel has made it challenging for people to meet their basic necessities. 97% of people in Northwest Syria live in extreme poverty, earning below $2 per day. Besides, 80 percent of Syrians living in the northwest need food assistance. So even after the winter storm subsides, the effort to support millions of Syrian refugees will remain urgent.

How the UMR is contributing to Syria Crisis

UMR is concerned about the growing statistics of the Syrian refugees suffering in winter. According to Save the Children, the rate of malnourished children has surged by over 150% in the past six months. About 13 Million Syrian people are forcibly displaced. Among them, 6.8 million refugees and asylum-seekers have fled the country.

UMR is giving hope to the Syrian people with the “Share Warmth” campaign. We aim to protect and empower vulnerable individuals by distributing winter-care kits. When you donate to UMR, you will provide a struggling family with winter jackets, hats, gloves, children’s pajamas, hygiene baskets (soaps, lotions, sanitizers), cash vouchers, food parcels, and more. Your compassion and warmth will spark an array of positivity among the families struggling for survival. 

Donate to UMR; save people in Syria this winter and make a meaningful difference in their lives.

The post Syrian Refugees in Winter: A Struggle for Survival appeared first on UMR.

Lebanon Needs Your Help

“Lebanon is at great risk for a food crisis. Both the Human Rights Watch and the World Bank are predicting that over half of Lebanese households may not be able to afford to purchase food by the end of the year. A full collapse of the Lebanese pound has left thousands of Lebanese unemployed, desperate, and hungry. More than 220,000 jobs in the private sector have been lost since mid-October, and the unrest among the people has reached its boiling point.” — Wejdan Jarrah, UMR’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Representative

Lebanon is facing a sharp economic collapse and political unrest. It will take time to fully recover from the explosion. So, they need as much extra help as possible. Your contributions help doctors save lives, feed children, and provide the elderly with pain medication that they can no longer afford.

How UMR will Distribute Donations in Lebanon

Here’s how your contribution to UMR’s emergency campaign will support Lebanon:

Emergency Medical Intervention:

UMR already shipped its first medical shipment by air to Lebanon. Each health kit will help 10,000 people receive medical aid for 3 months. These emergency health kits include vital items such as:

• Gauze
• Pain medication
• Surgical instruments
• Gloves
• Masks
• Sterilizers
• Trays and more

Food Intervention:

Lebanon’s economy is not in a good shape.  The prices of daily necessities is sky-rocketing. 

Some statistics showing the economical crisis of Lebanon in 2020-

• The cost of household staples have risen up to nearly 70% —  butter now sells for $8.00 USD, powdered milk costs $40.00 USD, and diapers cost up to $43.00 USD
• Over 2.2 million people are living in poverty in Lebanon. According to The World Bank, food insecurity numbers reinstate that “poverty levels could reach as high as 50% if the economic situation worsens.”
• More than 220,000 jobs in the private sector have been lost since mid-October, and the unrest among the people has reached its boiling point.

UMR has been working in Lebanon for years, providing cash assistance, food parcels, fresh meat, and medical assistance to the poorest areas of the country. Each package of ours typically feeds a family of 5 for an entire month. The items we provide are:

• Beans
• Rice
• Flour
• Pasta
• Oil
• Sugar
• Tomato paste and more

Beirut Cleanup:

UMR volunteers are organized on the ground in Beirut to help clean up the city and restore its peace. Cleaning up the debris from the streets is vital for the country to begin to heal.

As the country begins to rebuild after the explosion, Lebanon faces countless roadblocks.

An estimated 300,000 people are now homeless, more than half of the population is facing poverty, and hospitals are operating without electricity as doctors fight to save the thousands of people caught in the explosion. As the spread of COVID-19 overwhelms the region, unemployment rises to over 30%, and overcrowded hospitals oversee mortality rates, Lebanon now finds itself in the middle of a humanitarian disaster.

Rebuilding Beirut:

Our dedicated team has identified and begun construction on apartmentsin Beirut. We are on track to repair 40-50 apartments per week to ensure that families can safely quarantine.

UMR is restoring homes and apartments by rebuilding windows, doors, and more that were shattered in the blast. We are doing this by employing local workers and providing opportunities and jobs to people who need it most. As COVID-19 cases continue to hit historical daily highs in Lebanon, and with winter on the horizon and cold rains threatening to make matters worse, we are ask you to consider making a donation to support our work.  One of the victim said,

“It still feels as if it happened yesterday. The exhaustion, the fear every time we hear something loud; the frustration, the worries… it’s still all there, and it will always remain there.

Your donations will allow us to expand and intensify our life-saving efforts for as long as it takes to rebuild this country.”

Click to Read More:

• UNHCR – Lebanon Fact Sheet 2020
• WFP – Saving Lives/Global Hotspots 2020
• UNDP – Spotlight on Youth in Lebanon 2015
• The World Bank in Lebanon 

The post Emergency In Lebanon 2020 appeared first on UMR.

Refugees in Lebanon

The population of Lebanon is estimated at 6.83 million in 2020. Lebanon has taken in 1.5 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees since 2011. Refugees make up 30% of the country’s population. The highest concentration per capita of refugees in the world. There is an increase in the number of Lebanese and refugees living below the poverty line in Lebanon.

Economic Disaster

In October 2019, protests against the government all over Lebanon occurred. It leads the country’s economy into a free fall. They are causing a lot of trouble for poor Lebanese and refugees. Thousands of people are angry about government corruption and the economy getting worse. It makes people’s buying power go down and makes poverty worse. 

Coronavirus Outbreak

As the crisis gets worse, another crisis, the Coronavirus outbreak, starts to happen. Lebanon was locked down to prevent the coronavirus spread. So, cash-strapped banks have made it difficult for depositors to recover their monies. This is on top of the months of tighter controls that have made it harder for people to get to most of their funds. 

Dollar shortages have kept it from getting important goods for months. The number of cases keeps going up every day. Effects are on monthly payments of rent, food insecurity, health and other necessities.

The Coronavirus is spreading and the economy is collapsing again since May 2020. Families can’t afford good food, medicine, and monetary help for this. 

Food Crisis

In Lebanon, prices went up by 60% to 300%, and the dollar’s worth reached 4000 LBP on the black market. This made it harder for people to get food. Prices of bread and potatoes are rising, for both the producer and the consumer. 49% of Lebanese worry about getting enough food. 60% of the population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture. The number of poor people in Lebanon went up. Some experts say that violent protests are likely to get worse. Because people’s living standards fall and they need humanitarian aid more than ever.

UMR’s Intervention

To solve the problem of food insecurity, UMR will fund two important projects. Combinedly we are calling them the Potato and Bread Campaign.

One of these is the “Salt and Bread” campaign. It is run by a community-based initiative in partnership with the Akkarouna Foundation and Heads of Municipalities. They are working together to raise money for the “Akkar Emergency Room” idea, which is to make bread in a small bakery in the neighborhood and give it to 2,000 families every day. So far, in its first part, it has helped get 74,900 packs of bread to 37,450 families in Tripoli and Saida. 

The Potato Campaign is the second project. Its goal is to encourage farmers to grow potatoes and give potato packs to families. 35,000 people in the Tripoli and Saida areas each got 5 kg. 50% Lebanese and 50% Palestinians. The idea for these projects came from UMR’s mission to help underserved areas and lift people’s spirits in hard times, which is all about sharing our goodness.

The post Potato and Bread Campaign – Lebanon appeared first on UMR.

“The number of people fleeing war, persecution and conflict exceeded 70 million globally last year – the highest number in the UN refugee agency’s almost 70 years of operations.” – UN

Refugees and displaced people are the most vulnerable people on the planet, suffering daily without sufficient housing, access to medicine, doctors, food, or clean water. As the crisis worsens, more and more people are depending on humanitarian agencies like UMR to fill the gaps.

Each year during Ramadan, UMR delivers food packages filled with nutritious items such as beans, rice, flour, oil, canned goods, and more to reach people that have absolutely nothing. We have spoken with families begging for help, telling our field staff that without these resources, they will die.

“Me and my children are fasting. What will we eat to break our fast? My children are begging me for food and water!”

This Ramadan, these families desperately need your help. Please #PassThePlate to a child in need!

Where We Are Working

What We Are Providing

We are providing many necessary items to the helpless families. Here are some of them-

Food Baskets

UMR delivers food packages containing items such as rice, flour, sugar, oil, beans, lentils, tomato paste, pasta, bread, and canned goods.

Water & Sanitation

In addition, we will be building water wells in Pakistan, Somalia and Kenya to ensure that some of the poorest communities are able to find clean drinking water, and prevent the spread of diseases.

Orphan Protection

Children are some of the most vulnerable among these already struggling communities. That is why UMR prioritizes the safety and well-being of children and orphans by providing them with healthcare, education, nutrition and a chance at a future.

Iftars

Each year UMR hosts iftar dinners throughout the month of Ramadan. Last year we were able to serve thousands of people in Yemen and Gaza with warm, nutritious meals.

Click Donate Now to See the different programs that you can donate to:

The post Pass The Plate appeared first on UMR.

This is an essential instrument for growing the capacity of hospitals. Because it frees up financial resources to hire more doctors. It also lessens the financial burden on patients.

UMR has sent medical shipments to many countries. This includes Yemen, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Jordan, and Lebanon. We are still sending containers to underdeveloped nations.

Lebanon

In January 2021, UMR sent two major medical supplies to Lebanon. An international emergency health kit was the first. It was filled with necessary medical supplies. ICU beds were in the second shipment.

The pandemic hurt public hospitals the most. Because private institutions were cutting off so many people. But public hospitals already had very little money. We hoped these shipments would help the medical staff do their jobs better during this hard time.

Jordan

UMR is working with a field office in Jordan to send medical shipments to Syrian refugees. This is to help the number of refugees from Syria improve. We are delivering medicine to help both long-term and short-term health problems. We give basic medical tools. Syringes, aluminum canes, crutches, hip arthroscopy kits, oxygen masks, surgical packs, and more.

The governorates of Zarqa and Mafraq in Jordan have services to offer. In 2018, UMR and IMANA provided basic health care to 6,500 people. Most of them were Syrian and Palestinian refugees. We want to help at least 10,000 people this time in Jordan. 

Sudan

Many health facilities in Sudan can not provide patients with proper care. Because they have insufficient medical equipment and supplies.

UMR has been delivering essential medical shipments to Sudan for many years. Our goal is to enhance the overall healthcare system of this country.

Yemen

The United Nations estimates that Yemen needs about $3.9 billion. This amount will aid the millions of people who are affected by the seven-year conflict.

According to Aljazeera, more than 15,000 people had to leave their homes in December 2021. Because the military war in Yemen is growing. More than 350 people were killed or hurt. The poorest country in the Arab world is now facing more hunger and an economic collapse. 

UMR is still planning to help Yemen with emergency aid, like food and medical goods.

Palestine

According to Human Rights Watch, “Israeli officials destroyed 666 Palestinian homes and other buildings in the West Bank.” It happened for the first eight months of 2021. Bombs killed hundreds of people, hurt thousands and destroyed hospitals. Many of you stepped up to help Palestine get through this terrible time. 

Because of your kindness, UMR sent 5 Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK). We delivered them to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. It happened on December 26, 2021. These kits were sent to hospitals and medical centers all over the country.

The 5 IEHKs were able to help 50,000 people. They were full of things like trauma supplies, surgery tools, medicine, and more.

Conclusion

UMR has been providing medical shipments in many other countries along with these countries. We want to create a world where nobody will lose their life due to medical supplies shortage. We need all of your help to establish this dream. Join UMR with our sacred journey of giving medical care to the underprivileged people.

The post Medical Shipments appeared first on UMR.

Whether it be due to poverty, war, or displacement, thousands of children in Jordan, Kenya, & Lebanon are unable to attend to school. What most people don’t realize is that when children are deprived of education, oftentimes they are forced into child labor or child marriage. The UN says 180,000 refugee children living in Lebanon are forgoing an education to work long hours for as little as $2/day.

Many children in the refugee camps lack even the most basic school supplies. Parents, having limited funds, are faced with a predicament- putting food on the table or supplying pencils to write with. Hunger, almost always, takes precedence.

UMR’s annual Back to School Campaign aims to reduce the chances that children are left out of schools.

How You Can Help

When the opportunity of education is taken away, usually the chance of a successful future disappears along with it. It is time that we start recognizing education as a right, not a privilege.

With your generous donations, UMR provides children in Jordan, Kenya, & Lebanon with a backpack filled with school supplies such as pencils, crayons, rulers, and erasers.

Give a child a chance to hope, learn, and dream. One backpack can bring a child closer to achieving their goals, regardless of where life has taken them.

Don’t let another child get left behind.

The post Back to School appeared first on UMR.

The Lebanese Civil War, a protracted conflict from 1975 to 1990, left Lebanon in ruins, necessitating significant economic reforms. As part of these reforms, Lebanon’s central bank opted to peg the country’s currency to the US Dollar, promising a fixed rate of 1,507 Lebanese lira to $1, with a commitment to seamless currency exchange through local banks. However, this well-intentioned move backfired. Initially, banks accumulated US Dollars, which seemed stable.

This stability proved short-lived. In 2011, the US Dollar began to falter. In a bid to attract more deposits, Lebanese banks offered exorbitant interest rates to depositors. This practice evolved into a financial scheme resembling a Ponzi scheme, as newer deposits were used to pay the promised high interest rates to earlier depositors, creating an unsustainable cycle.

As concerns mounted, depositors rushed to withdraw their savings. However, stringent restrictions prevented them from accessing their funds, leading to a crisis of trust. Consequently, the Lebanese lira’s value plummeted by over 90%, resulting in hyperinflation. Basic goods became unaffordable, pushing Lebanon into a severe economic and financial crisis.

Lebanon is currently fighting one of the most severe crises in its history, as per the World Bank’s assessment, ranking among the top three global crises since the mid-nineteenth century. This economic catastrophe is characterized by a staggering decline in GDP, plummeting from US $55 billion in 2018 to a mere $20.5 billion in 2021.

Several factors have contributed to this dire situation, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing a significant role. Like many nations, Lebanon’s economy was severely impacted by the pandemic. The country heavily relies on income from its tourism industry, serving as a primary destination in the Middle East. However, when the pandemic struck, travel restrictions and border closures brought this vital source of revenue to a screeching halt. This sudden loss of income exacerbated the country’s pre-existing vulnerabilities.

Lebanon already grappled with stark wealth disparities, and the instability caused by the pandemic laid bare these inequalities. Approximately one-third of the Lebanese population lives below the poverty line, reflecting the dire socio-economic conditions faced by a significant portion of the citizenry. The youth unemployment rate is alarmingly high at 37%, while overall unemployment stands at 25%, further exacerbating the economic turmoil and contributing to widespread frustration and despair.

However, this stability proved short-lived. In 2011, the US Dollar began to falter. In a bid to attract more deposits, Lebanese banks offered exorbitant interest rates to depositors. This practice evolved into a financial scheme resembling a Ponzi scheme, as newer deposits were used to pay the promised high interest rates to earlier depositors, creating an unsustainable cycle.

As concerns mounted, depositors rushed to withdraw their savings. However, strict restrictions prevented them from accessing their funds, leading to a crisis of trust. Consequently, the Lebanese lira’s value plummeted by over 90%, resulting in hyperinflation. Basic goods became unaffordable, pushing Lebanon into a severe economic and financial crisis.

Along with the pandemic, the Lebanese economy suffered greatly due to the Port of Beirut Explosion in 2020, which killed 200 people and also caused a great deal of property damage. It not only caused structural instability, but also dwindled the water supply, and increased the deteriorating conditions in the country. There was billions of dollars’ worth of damage from this explosion. Due to this shortage of money, people are unable to pay their importers in cash. This has led to a number of strikes specifically with food suppliers and gas stations because wheat and fuel importers cannot get their money. Also, with the influx of Syrian refugees due to the unrest in Syria, it seems as if Lebanon has reached its breaking point and was never able to build back after their Civil War because frankly the country itself has never gotten a break.

In order to attempt to help gain money back, the government imposed a tax on WhatsApp calls, an app that lets one call or text whoever one may choose in any part of the world, for no charge. This $6 monthly tax angered people and led to government protests. The government soon cancelled this tax, but this once again exposed the instability of the country.

Due to the pandemic, the Beirut explosion, and inflation, Lebanon’s economy is in deep trouble. The citizens of Lebanon are in deep trouble considering the economic position of their country. This is a humanitarian crisis that the public needs to be educated on for the sake of humankind.

The post The Lebanese Economic Crisis appeared first on UMR.