Date: 25 September 2024
From the very first day of the Israeli aggression against Lebanon, and under the leadership of its president, Mrs. Bahia Hariri, the Hariri Foundation swiftly mobilized its team to assist the Saida Municipality in confronting the immediate and long-term impacts of the aggression. The Foundation is also committed to providing vital support to the displaced population from various regions of southern Lebanon.
Following an urgent meeting held at the municipality on Monday to coordinate the reception and sheltering of displaced people in schools and to ensure their basic needs were met, the Hariri Foundation team has been working closely with the Saida Municipality through the municipality’s Technical Office (RTO). This includes the activation of the operations room led by Municipal Council Member, Mr. Mustafa Hijazi, in collaboration with the Foundation, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local community organizations.
The Foundation’s team provides comprehensive logistical, technical, and digital support for the operations room. This includes coordinating with the Lebanese Red Cross and the governorate’s operations room to monitor the use of schools and universities as shelters through the Saida and Neighboring Towns School Network. Additionally, the Foundation is supporting the municipality in the distribution of associations to the 16 collective shelters and has activated a call center staffed by volunteers to track the distribution of displaced persons, identify the needs of shelters, and manage the collection and distribution of community donations under municipal supervision. The team is also overseeing the preparation of a comprehensive database, analyzing the displacement situation, and coordinating with shelter managers and association representatives to ensure that the shelters are properly managed in accordance with standards set in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross.
In partnership with the Future Movement’s Saida and South Coordination, the Foundation is overseeing two key shelter centers: “Thuraya Faris Abu Alfa High School” and the “Lebanese University.” Additionally, the Foundation’s Mobile Medical Units have been deployed to provide essential healthcare services to displaced individuals in the shelters. These units continue to offer free transportation for urgent medical cases to hospitals within Saida’s vicinity.
The Foundation’s mobile clinics have already visited several shelters, conducted a survey of chronic illnesses among displaced families, and assessed their medication needs. The team has also treated burn victims and provided pain relief as needed. Moving forward, daily visits will be conducted at several centers, including “Thuraya Faris Abu Alfa High School,” “Abra Intermediate Public School,” “Saida Primary Public School,” “Al-Islah Public School,” and “Al-Ma’ani Club,” to ensure that displaced individuals receive the necessary medical attention, including medications for chronic diseases, burn treatment, and essential disinfectants and sanitizers.