“Finally, we managed to get in”. This was Welfare Association program staff first statement after they finally managed to visit what is left of Nahr Al Bared Camp, which has been home to about 40,000 Palestinian refugees.

The visit facilitated by three local NGO partners -  Palestinian Arab Women’s League (PAWL),  Community Based Rehabilitation Association (CBRA) and Association Najdeh – began with a three hour walk through the outlying areas of the camp as well as along the limits of the official (old) camp where entry was not allowed. “The destruction is comprehensive and few buildings were left untouched, neither by shelling nor by flames” said one of the staff while meeting scores of returnees in partially damaged homes, as they cleared rubble and made initial repairs with the help of volunteer youths from Baddawi camp. She further added while inspecting the site of recently constructed rudimentary shelters, housing temporarily 36 families: “The shelters, new and old, are completely unhygienic, damp and overcrowded. The camp’s returnees, especially children, will experience a very difficult winter, because of leaking roofs and plastic covered doors and windows.”

Another staff member commented: “I went on a draining tour of the new camp along the periphery of the old camp - we visited a few of the "new" accommodations, both the improvised and the newly built, as well as the destruction. I have rarely been so discouraged. I am afraid that "normal" - however meager it was in the first place - will remain very elusive for a long while .. and the problems of winter are a big challenge. … almost nothing from donors pledges has been received so far.... not sure what we can do ….”

Amid the challenges and difficulties, WA Lebanon staff encountered a wedding procession marching boisterously through the rubble under showers of rice.  One of the staff filled with anger but strangely also with hope had the following to say: “This event and the happiness on the couple’s faces embodied the resilience, hope and determination of Palestinians everywhere.”

Despite the gloomy prospects for the majority of Nahr Al Bared population, slight hope surfaced as well when meeting the first four beneficiaries of WA’s “Emergency Economic Recovery” project implemented in partnership with PAWL. These beneficiaries are few of the lucky ones whose businesses (bakery, grocery, carpentry, and butcher shop) were only partially damaged as they are located at the entrance of the camp. It is expected that their business will be restored for operation within a few weeks.

Early on in the month, Welfare Association staff visited the Rashidieh Palestinian Refugee Camp hosting many Palestinian families who have fled Nahr Al Bared Camp. Compacted in a rented small apartment made up of one main room, one kitchen and one bathroom, Fouad Al Khalil family of nine are still awaiting their return. Although Father Fouad now has a small income from taxi driving, hardships continue with the older family members unable to find work.  That search for work continues as the younger ones await enrolment in local schools for the new school year. Two of his daughters, Hiba (17 years of age) and Amany (15 years) are close sisters with warm memories of growing up in Nahr el Bared Camp. Hiba voiced her frustration “…the events of Nahr el Bared were daunting and difficult.  The people left our houses and our schools to escape and flee from the voice of bombs and missiles and death.”  Amany, on the other hand said: “…in the beginning all we thought about was to escape from this terrible nightmare….that feeling soon changed when we now think of the ugly things right at the place we loved and love – that is the maximum nightmare”. Each day Hiba, Amany and their family continue to ask “what is the fate of our camp and our lives?” Their ardent wish is to return to Nahr el Bared Camp but for now the future is so uncertain.

Although the timing of their return home to Nahr el Bared Camp is an unknown for this family, some small form of relief and interest has been found on a daily basis for Hiba and Amany as they make full use of the facilities at Welfare Association Hani Al Qadoumi Library. Regularly these sweet but serious girls who have witnessed too much sorrow in their young lives borrow books to take home and share with each of their family members.

It is worth noting that Welfare Association was one of the first organizations responding to the humanitarian crisis in Nahr El Bared focusing its efforts on education, health, income generation, and relief.