Together we can.

  “Man wa Salwa” is a Lebanese local non-governmental organization established under the registration number 2100/2010. 

 In 2021, in light of the economic and financial crisis that hit Lebanon, the organization decided to align its objectives with the urgent needs of the most vulnerable communities. This shift led to a focus on social activities and promoting food sovereignty to provide crucial support to those in need. 

In March 2023, “Man wa Salwa” opened a consumer cooperative in Furn El Chebbak, a suburb of Beirut with the aim to find a sustainable model of a consumer cooperative in times of an ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon. 

Open Your Heart: A Call to Support Lebanon’s Displaced People

 (https://fundahope.com/en/campaigns/open-your-heart) 

In light of the recent conflict in Lebanon and the large number of displaced people across the country, Man Wa Salwa is intensifying efforts to provide essential supplies and alleviate the dire situation by any means possible. We call on people within Lebanon and people living abroad, to stand with the Lebanese people that are living in shelters, schools, or even on the streets, and to donate to our fundraising campaign so we can continue providing support. All funds collected will go directly toward purchasing essential goods for people seeking shelter in Beirut, particularly in Furn El Chebbak, and will support other initiatives across Lebanon to maximize our impact. Even a small donation can make a significant difference in these difficult times.

After one week of all-out war in Lebanon, Man Wa Salwa, driven by its primary mission to support and provide for our community, launched a crowdfunding campaign to deliver immediate aid to Lebanon’s displaced people. Our campaign went live on the Lebanese crowdfunding page “Fund A Hope” on September, 27, with outreach efforts starting on September 28 via social media, emails, and phone calls. During October, we collected 11,600 USD. This report details how over 32% (3,712 $)of your donations have been utilized.

To provide fast and effective aid, our first initiative was to support a school near our cooperative in Furn El Chebbak that is currently hosting more than 60 displaced families. We distributed household goods to provide a long-term solution as well food and cleaning items to meet immediate needs. While these families had a place to stay, many others were without shelter, leading us to our next step: distributing food and medical supplies to displaced individuals in Ain El Mreiseh. Over the past month, Man Wa Salwa has supported more than 50 displaced families living on the streets with cleaning products, food items, medications, clothing, household goods and shelter equipment. This initiative is on-going given the vast need.

At Man Wa Salwa, one of our core missions is to assist the most vulnerable members of our community. For this reason, we partnered with the “Free Front for Palestine”, which supports Syrian and Palestinian refugees as well as migrant workers affected by the conflict. We also partnered with the “Alliance of Migrant Domestic Workers”, which aids migrant workers from different nationalities. Our contributions to these efforts primarily focused on providing food items and hygiene products.

To maximize our impact, we also focused on areas where assistance is limited, such as Sour and Aley, where we donated funds and food items to local initiatives working directly with those in need.

Finally, we are committed to making our assistance as effective as possible, particularly during the winter season when needs become even more urgent.

Although a ceasefire agreement has been reached on October 27, the situation remains difficult and many people are still in need of support. The ceasefire marked the end of eight weeks of relentless bombing across Lebanon. According to preliminary data, over 3,900 lives have been lost, 16,000 individuals were injured, and countless homes destroyed, leaving thousands

displaced with nowhere to go even after the ceasefire. Others returned to their homes but found only rubbles and need to rebuild their homes and lives from scratch. Among those still displaced are some of the most vulnerable populations: Syrian and Palestinian refugees, migrant workers, the elderly, individuals with special needs, the sick, and children. The humanitarian crisis persists, as many have not only lost their homes but also their jobs. During these devastating weeks, initiatives like Man Wa Salwa have been providing critical aid to displaced and affected individuals. Our support has mainly included food distribution, medical assistance, and shelter equipment. However, the need for help remains immense. As rebuilding efforts begin, Man Wa Salwa continues to call on your generosity to sustain its relief initiatives. With your donations, we will extend our efforts and provide emergency help as much as we can.

How to help: Man wa Salwa’s initiative “Open a Heart”

For us, the most critical task now is raising awareness that the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is far from over, even after the ceasefire. The devastation of eight weeks of relentless bombing has left thousands displaced, injured, or mourning lost loved ones, with homes, infrastructure, and health facilities being destroyed. This war was not a temporary emergency – it’s an ongoing crisis that requires our joint attention and help.

Until today, Man Wa Salwa has raised around 15,000 USD, from both offline and online donations through its campaign “Open a Heart”. Until the end of November, we have spent approximately 6,500 USD.

Our support efforts have included the following activities:

- Supporting the Tahweeta Public School in our neighbourhood in Furn el Chebbak

that were housing around 67 internally displaced people, providing them with

o Cleaning products (approximately 15 items)

o Food items (approximately 300 items)

o Household goods (approximately 20 items: gas stove, gas bottle, pans and pots,

dishes and cutlery)

Amount spent: 500 USD

- Direct support to 80 families who are displaced and currently living on the streets in

the areas of Ayn al-Mraiseh, Horsh Beirut, Ghobayri, Tareek al Jdeede, and Tayouneh

providing them with

o Cleaning products (approximately 15 items)

o Food items (approximately 550 items)

o Medication (approximately 90 items)

o Clothing (approx. 30 items)

o Household goods (approximately 50 items: gas stove, gas bottle, pans and pots,

dishes and cutlery)

o Shelter equipment (approximately 50 items: blankets, chairs, cushions)

Amount spent: 2,990 USD

- Partnering with the “Alliance for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon” to

support 100 migrant workers and vulnerable people that are currently finding

shelter on the street with food bags

Amount spent: 1,270 USD

- Partnering with “Free Palestine Front” to assist migrant workers and Syrian

and Palestinian refugees, many of whom have been left on the streets with no

support, providing them with

o Sanitary items (diapers and pads)

o Cleaning products (40 item)

o Food items (500 item)

Amount spent: 1,420 USD

- Partnering with “Time for Solidarity Aley Region” to assist 25 displaced

families sheltering in houses, providing them with

o Food items (100 item)

Amount spent: 325 USD

Man Wa Salwa's support efforts are rooted in a community driven approach: we aim to avoid duplicating efforts or providing uncoordinated aid. Instead, we collaborate closely with other initiatives on the ground. Through our extensive network of solidarity initiatives and local producers, our ability to purchase goods at reduced prices, and our deep integration within the Furn El Chebbak neighbourhood, Man Wa Salwa wants to provide targeted support to those in need.