Lebanon

P.O. Box 16-6168
Beirut
Lebanon

WebsiteA wireframe globe www.hfhlebanon.org
PhoneA smartphone +961 1215162

 

Country Facts:

 

  • Capital city – Beirut
  • Population – 5.6 million
  • Life expectancy – 78.3 years
  • Unemployment rate – 29.6%
  • Below poverty line – 80%

Find more country facts on: CIA The World Factbook –Lebanon

 

Habitat Facts

Habitat started in Lebanon in 2001.

Individuals served in FY2022  ‒ 3,405

  • Through market development  ‒ 2,375
  • Through repairs  ‒ 1,030

 

The housing need in Lebanon

Lebanon’s modern history is characterized by a climate of political and economic instability. Positioned as a haven for the displaced, it began welcoming Palestinian refugees in 1948. Today, it shelters a staggering 1.7 million refugees, including 1.5 million Syrians, making it the country with the highest refugee concentration per capita. Internal challenges such as civil wars, rapid urbanization, and external confrontations like the 2006 Lebanon war with Israel have deeply impacted its infrastructure.

In 2019, Lebanon experienced an economic downturn that resulted in 80% of its inhabitants living in poverty. Further complications arose in 2020 when an explosion from 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate ravaged Beirut, damaging over 200,000 homes and highlighting widespread substandard housing and limited access to essential services. To date, Habitat for Humanity Lebanon has partnered with more than 104,000 individuals through incremental and rehab construction and repairs as well as other interventions. Habitat has also engaged with over 110 volunteers through the years.

 

How Habitat addresses the need

 

Housing microfinance program

Since 2001, Habitat responded to the widespread but unmet shelter and housing needs of low-income families through a number of projects. Habitat Lebanon ran a housing microfinance program offering microloans to people who would otherwise not have access to credit. Habitat’s programming was designed to prioritize female-headed households or households with members suffering from disabilities, with subsidized loans and repayment schedules adjusted to their financial circumstances.

 

Responding to the Syrian refugee crisis

In 2017, Habitat began rehabilitating houses in marginalized neighborhoods with vulnerable Lebanese and non-Lebanese families. Introducing repairs to elevate home standards and enhance service access, they prioritized female-led households and those with older or disabled members. Habitat’s actions aimed to enhance WASH facility access and increase home safety and security.

 

School repairs

This program was designed to help public schools absorb more school-aged refugees into the formal system through renovated schools that ran second shifts to accommodate children from refugee families.

 

Response to Beirut port blast

In partnership with official bodies and Catholic Relief Services, Habitat addressed damage in two neighborhoods affected by the blast. They repaired cracks, leaks, doors, windows, and damaged WASH facilities, assisting 206 families and 25 businesses during pandemic lockdowns. For community cohesion, Habitat organized workshops to identify communal projects enhancing neighborhood security. Using the International Federation of the Red Cross’ Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter Awareness, communities launched projects introducing street lighting, rectifying hazardous cables, and refurbishing facades.

 

What you can do

 

DONATE

Please visit habitat.org/donate and select “Designate your donation” to donate to Habitat Lebanon.

VOLUNTEER


The Global Village program is resuming region by region until a safe and quality experience can be provided at scale worldwide. Please visit habitat.org/gov for more information.

TITHE

Habitat affiliates in the U.S. support the international work through an annual tithe. For additional information, email [email protected] or contact your local Habitat organization.

CONTACT


Email: [email protected]

 

Stories and news

Habitat for Humanity to host its first Housing Forum in the Middle East and North Africa region

October 20, 2022

Cairo will host Habitat for Humanity’s first edition of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Housing Forum, November 21-23, 2022. The three-day event will convene housing contributors and stakeholders from the public and private sectors, advocates, academics, researchers, microfinance experts and representatives from local and international NGOS from the MENA region. 

Read more

Rebuilding Beirut: Supporting the most vulnerable

A devastating blast ripped through the Port of Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020 destroying entire sections of the city. Officials estimate that more than 170,000 people live in homes that need to be reconstructed. A year later, investigation findings have not been disclosed and no one has been held accountable.  

Read more

Generous Support in Difficult Times

The high school in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, usually volunteers with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program. With the COVID-19 pandemic going on, there was no way they could travel to the build site. Many students know how important a decent home to protect against diseases. They decided to raise and donate funds to Habitat for home construction. In these difficult times, the school collected 16,000 USD to support Habitat programs in Lebanon and India.

Read more

Other Countries

Great Britain

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain was founded in January 1995 as a fundraising office to raise money and awareness for the global work of Habitat for Humanity. Based in Slough, near London, the national office works with individuals, corporate organisations, major donors, foundations, institutions and trusts. 

Read more

Germany

Habitat for Humanity Germany began operations in 1998. The national office is based in Cologne. Habitat Germany has with 20 staff members and a five-person board of directors.Its work primarily focuses on raising funds for the international and local projects of Habitat for Humanity.

Read more