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III-
Specialized Centers
A. Migrants’ Center
B. Office for the Displaced
A.
Migrants’ Center
1. Background
It all began in 1994, when some Sudanese
refugees turned to Caritas Lebanon for help.
A few months later, appeared another
category of individuals in need of succor:
Iraqi refugees who entered Lebanon illegally
were asking for asylum while waiting to be
granted entry in another country. The number
of new groups steadily increased to the
point where there were refugees,
asylum-seekers and migrants in difficulty
from all nationalities.
Caritas Lebanon responded to their demand
and set up the Migrants’ Center to give
these people the necessary help.
In the year 2000, the Migrants’ Center of
Caritas Lebanon (CLCM) began to extend its
activities over a wider field in order to
reach people who were even more deprived and
whose situation was more precarious. A
reformulation of the vision and mission of
the Center became necessary. Along with the
preparation of a 5-year strategic plan in
the year 2000, this vision and this mission
were modified and new aid projects were
drawn up.
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The present vision of the Center is as
follows: “All the Rights of Refugees Seeking
Asylum and those of Migrants are Recognized,
Protected and Respected.”
The Mission of the Center can then be
defined as follows: “Reinforce and Protect
the Human Rights of Migrants, Refugees and
Asylum-seekers in Lebanon”.
2. Goals
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Improve living and
working conditions of migrants, refugees
and asylum-seekers in Lebanon.
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Reduce exploitation,
marginalization and exclusion.
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Defend the cause of
migrants on the local, national and
regional levels.
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Make not only the
Lebanese but even the refugees and
migrants themselves more aware of the
cause of the outsiders in Lebanon
3. Activities
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Humanitarian
assistance (basic needs, accommodation,
etc.).
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Medical assistance.
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Legal and judicial
advising.
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Organization of
handicrafts, singing, recreational
activities and discussion groups.
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Setting up
orientation seminars for social workers
in order to provide foreign detainees
with information about protection of
their rights and avoid subsequent
arrests.
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Frequent visits by
the social assistants to prisons all
over Lebanon (Roumieh, the Bekaa, North
and South) to inquire about the needs of
foreigners held in these jails.
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Orientation sessions
to awake the Lebanese public on the need
for a change of behavior and help
migrants protect themselves, find
support, and also to plead for more
suited policies and practices.
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Organization of
summer camps for the children of
migrants and refugees to bring about
better understanding between nations,
increase tolerance and respect for
others, and introduce children to other
religions and cultures than theirs as
well as giving them a chance to amuse
themselves far from the difficulties of
their day-to-day life.
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Assistance to
Palestinians in different refugees camps
in Lebanon (Baddawi, Nahr El Bared,
Dbayeh, Bourh El Barajneh, Mar Elias,
Chatila and Wavel). This aid includes
Social Health Education treating various
aspects of health. Palestinian refugees
also receive vocational training to
improve their chances of finding work.
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Promoting the cause
of Peace, in order to prepare a solid
foundation for justice and
reconciliation, and repair injustice by
restoring broken relationships. This aim
is sought through activities such as
reunions of various groups, summer
camps, a Forum on Human Rights, health
education, schooling awareness and
cultural sessions. The groups aimed at
are both Palestinian and Lebanese
communities of various religions.
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Opening a school
adapted to the needs of foreign
children, aged between 4 and 12, and not
attending school. Through this project,
children have a chance to learn the
three main languages spoken in Lebanon:
Arabic, French and English, acquire some
basic notions in mathematics and enrich
their general knowledge. This trilingual
instruction will later allow them to fit
into the classic Lebanese or any other
educational system, should their
families move to Europe or America. At
the same time, pupils take part in
artistic and other cultural activities
to stimulate their creativity,
self-confidence and open-mindedness.
4. Region
Sin el Fil (Greater Beirut)
5. Beneficiaries
Up till now, over 10273
migrant workers have been able to take
advantage of orientation sessions. The cases
of 2404 migrants and asylum seekers have
been settled in their favor by the Caritas
attorneys, either through friendly
negotiation with the employer, the Police or
the General Security, or through tribunals.
6. Partners and donors
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Ever since its
foundation, Caritas Sweden has been a
major partner of the Migrants’ Center,
providing both funds and technical
support through its representatives in
Lebanon.
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At present, the
Migrants’ Center also works with other
members of the Caritas network and such
international organizations as PHCR and
with local NGOs such as the Women’s
Humanitarian Organization (WHO) and the
Najdeh Association.
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The Migrants’ Center
collaborates with the expert of the ICCM
(International Catholic Commission for
Migration) on cases of forced migration.
This partnership dates from the year
2000.
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Since the year 2000,
the Migrants’ Center has been working in
close collaboration with Catholic Relief
Services (CRS), which provides financial
and technical support for various
projects of the Center.
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Caritas Lebanon also
maintains a close relationship with
government bodies such as the
Directorate General of the General
Security and the Ministry of Labor. It
also cooperates with various religious
congregations and communities.
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Support for the
activities of the Migrants’ Center comes
from such bodies as the Caritas network,
the HCR, the US Government and the
European Commission, as well as from
local contributors, though on a rather
small scale.
For more information:
carimigr@inco.com.lb
http://www.caritasmigrant.org.lb
B. Office for the Displaced
1. Current situation
The Shouf region and East of Saïda witnessed
the displacement of waves of their
inhabitants during the war period. When it
was over, most of them could not return to
their homes which had been totally or
partially destroyed.
2. History
Launched in January 2000, this project is
currently in the granted loans’ repayment
phase. A study was conducted in 2002 in the
villages of Aley and Baabda aiming at using
the reimbursed sums for a new cluster of
villages suffering from the same problem.
The third phase of the project included
organizing activities for the region’s
children and youth. In April 2005, the
project entered its fourth phase with a new
orientation towards community development
projects.
3. Goals
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Promote the return of
the displaced.
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Improve living
conditions of those who have returned
home.
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Recreate the pre-war
multi-confessional environment.
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Make rural life
easier in order to reduce exodus to
overpopulated cities.
4. Activities
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Housing loans to
restore damaged housing units (US$ 5000,
one half as donation and the other half
to be reimbursed over a 5-year-period).
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Economic
micro-credits (US$ 2000 for each
project).
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Restoration of the
Sisters of Charity school in Mtolleh for
US$ 500 000.
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Involvement of young
people in choosing projects concerning
them: one basketball court in Mtolleh
and one in Mazmoura along with a public
garden and a library at Alman. These
projects cost up to US$ 50 000.
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An Atelier de couture
(or dressmaking workshop) in Alman
where, since April 2005, housewives have
been trained to become employees able to
enhance their families’ living
conditions by raising their income.
5. Beneficiaries
650 persons have
benefited from loans for house repair.
6. Partners
Caritas Austria
Caritas Sweden
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Caritas Lebanon
