Maa baed (Together) photo exhibition

Lebanon is going through cumulative social, political, and economic crises that are further putting already highly vulnerable people in distress, including Lebanese and refugee communities. As the situation is already challenging, emergency situations require an effective and fast response to ensure the restoration and improvement of living conditions.

Action Against Hunger has been responding to shocks in different areas in Lebanon through the Lebanon Protection Consortium (LPC), a programme funded by the EU Humanitarian Aid and implemented together with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Between July 2021 and June 2022, the programme has reached over 40,000 people with critical Emergency Response to respond urgently with lifesaving interventions targeting immediate Food, water, hygiene, and sanitation; Shelter, and Legal Protection needs.

The impact of this programme has been reflected in Maa Baed exhibition (meaning Together in Arabic), a photo-exhibition that presents women from both the Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities living in this country, facing many common challenges related to their basic needs, and benefiting from our support.

By mobilizing opinions and supporters for the rights of any person living in Lebanon through a gender lens and by raising awareness about the multiple crises Lebanon is facing, this initiative aims to advocate for:

1. Providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people -irrespective of their status and nationality- affected by shocks to ensure dignified living conditions in the most affected and hard-to-reach areas in Lebanon.
2. Ensuring foreseeable shocks are mitigated through preparedness action, to avoid that already vulnerable communities are further put into distress while supporting resilience.
3. Conceiving and implementing long-term solutions through a Nexus approach to access basic needs and to improve social cohesion, given the protracted crises.

Meet these Syrian and Lebanese women and visit our online exhibition: https://bit.ly/3wBvjYl

ABOUT MAA BAED PHOTO EXHIBITION

Maa Baed (together) photo-exhibition represents women from both the Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities living together in this country, facing many common challenges related to their basic needs, and benefiting from our support.

Maa Baed (together) aims at promoting the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in Lebanon, irrespective of their status and nationality. We want to mobilize opinions and supporters through different channels to advocate for the rights of any person living in Lebanon to live in dignity and have access to their basic needs.
“Maa Baed” is an Arabic expression that can be used to indicate that two or more people share something: a common place, idea, concern, vision, challenge, or interest. For that reason, we chose “Maa Baed” to represent the core of this project:

• Maa Baed - Together, Syrian and Lebanese women are facing a lot of common challenges.
• Maa Baed - Together, as partners in the consortium, we work to provide the needed support.
• Maa Baed – Together, we live in Lebanon.

Each photo represents a woman living in an informal settlement or collective shelter in two different areas in Lebanon, South and Bekaa; In the portrait of each woman, you will see part of her life reflected either in a shy smile or serious eye contact. The wide-shot photos provide an overview of the environment where the story took place. At the request of some of them we used nicknames instead of their real names.

NOW let us start the journey in this room with diverse Syrian and Lebanese women.

Do not miss the captions as they show part of their individual path and how LPC impacted the lives of these women.

Enjoy the online exhibition, Maa Baed!

All photos © 2022 Action Against Hunger, Carmen Moreno.

LEBANON PROTECTION CONSORTIUM (LPC)

Lebanon Protection Consortium (LPC) programme that is funded by the EU Humanitarian Aid and Implemented by Action Against Hunger and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The consortium was founded in 2018 and responds to sudden onset shocks and emergencies in different areas in Lebanon. It operates through the provision of rapid multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance to support affected individuals, households, and communities. LPC has implemented emergency responses in all 9 governorates and in 24 out of 26 districts in Lebanon.

LPC responds to the critical emergency needs of vulnerable people facing external shocks. For instance, when extreme weather and floods affect people’s tents, belongings, and communities. Or when people are diagnosed with COVID-19 and must isolate with the entire household. LPC also responds when families are evicted from their homes or have to relocate to a new shelter. Typically, an LPC emergency response takes place within 72 hours and depends on the vulnerability of the family and what exactly they need. After extreme weather or floods, LPC usually provides items such as mattresses, blankets, and items to restore their shelter, or limit flooding. LPC provides sanitation materials and in some cases food support for families with positive COVID-19. When families are evicted, LPC provides the necessary items for them to start over and provides information, counselling, and legal assistance. Between July 2021 and June 2022, the programme has reached over 40,000 people with critical Emergency Response to respond urgently with lifesaving interventions targeting immediate Food, Water, Hygiene, and Sanitation; Shelter, and Legal Protection needs.

PARTNERS

European Union

The European Union and its Member States are the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian aid Operations department (ECHO), the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

Action Against Hunger

Since 2006, Action Against Hunger has been working in Lebanon to secure and improve the living conditions of vulnerable Lebanese and refugees in Beirut, in the Bekaa and in the South.  
Action Against Hunger works in the most affected areas concerned with food security and livelihoods, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene issues as well as emergency needs, in close cooperation with the Lebanese authorities, partners and donors. 

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. It was founded in 1946 to protect displaced people and support them in building a new future. Today, NRC works in both new and protracted crises across 35 countries, and is specialised in six areas: food security, education, shelter, legal assistance, camp management, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. NRC has been present in Lebanon since 2006 and is currently operational across the country in informal tented settlements, urban areas and Palestinian refugee camps, including through partnerships with other NGOs.