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Mercy Corps has worked in Lebanon since 1993, providing development assistance to thousands of disadvantaged citizens. Initially, Mercy Corps’ work focused largely on rural and agricultural development, environmental protection, community-based economic development and infrastructure repair. During and after the war of summer 2006, Mercy Corps ran a large-scale relief and recovery programme to aid those most affected by the conflict. In addition to providing emergency food and relief supplies to tens of thousands of people, Mercy Corps rehabilitated more than sixty war-affected schools and assisted hundreds of small farmers to preserve their livelihoods. Today, our work in Lebanon, through education, advocacy and skills building, is ensuring that the voices of youth and other marginalised groups are heard. Mercy Corps makes use of new technologies in carrying out this work, which is providing access to information, new business opportunities and a way for young people to connect to other cultures.
Economic Development
Mercy Corps continues to address the needs of, and empower marginalised populations around the world. In Lebanon, these include young people, journalists, civil society leaders, and refugees. Despite Lebanon’s leadership in international banking, there is significant need within the population for economic development and career skills building, as generations enter the market world and contribute to their local economies. Mercy Corps Lebanon, with funding from the European Community Humanitarian Organisation (ECHO) and the German Embassy in Beirut, is developing the skills and access of young Palestinians living in Nahr al Bared to participate more equally in society and to contribute to and gain from the economy of the country. Mercy Corps also trains young men and women in advanced information and communications technology, and the skills necessary to utilize those tools for self-advancement and business development.
Youth
Mercy Corps continues to engage young Lebanese as they approach the age where they will become the decision-makers in their communities and in their world. The proportion of youth living in the Middle East to people over the age of 25 is substantial and unbalanced, and the demands for preparation of this population are great.
Last year, Mercy Corps formed a strategic partnership with Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) to truly internationalize Mercy Corps’ Global Citizen Corps programme, a programme that equips youth with critical skills to fight global poverty and mobilize others toward peaceful change. Global Citizen Corps youth in Lebanon are connected with those from the United States, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq, and Gaza, through web-based technology. The Global Citizen Corps uses social networking and video conferencing technology to facilitate dialogue that encourages mutual respect and advances cross-cultural understanding. Together, Global Citizen Corps leaders from different countries study global issues such as climate change, health care, conflict, water, education and human rights. They not only discuss these issues in vibrant forums online but also act on what they learn, designing and implementing their own community action and service projects.
The GHR Foundation has offered Mercy Corps a generous grant to work with Christian and Muslim youth together, training them in information and communication technologies (ICT), while facilitating interfaith discussion led by local religious leaders. Religious differences remain significant in Lebanon, and can create rifts in political and social life. This programme combats the influences of prejudice by engaging young people of different faiths and involving them in important skills-building activities. Through these activities, an even greater education is imparted as understandings of one another are shared. Acknowledging the commonalities of the individuals encourages cooperation toward achieving similar goals in community participation and career development.
Collaboration Toward Representation
Just as in much of the Middle East, young people in Lebanon frequently do not have opportunities to pursue their ambitions, and often do not have outlets through which to express themselves. Entities that work to support social and civic development have limited resources to meet local needs. In response to this time of rapid growth and transformation in the region, Mercy Corps has teamed up with DevIneMedia to give silenced constituents in Lebanon a voice through effective and effusive journalism, with the goal of encouraging transparency and awareness in local action and governance. We are launching a multifunctional workspace to allow greater collaboration and information sharing between local social and civic development organisations, active individuals and journalists in order to increase their effectiveness, reach and impact. The space includes a cafe-style public space with a citizen journalism/new media newsroom, training and workshop space, and a shared office space that can be configured to meet the evolving needs of participating groups. The trainings offered in this space focus on advanced IT skills, project management, and how to effectively use new media and journalism for communications and advocacy.
Future
As Mercy Corps continues to remain ready to respond to emergent needs in Lebanon, we will stay focused on developing the capacity of youth and other marginalised populations to participate more fully in their society, economy and political processes. ICT skills building and education will continue to be the primary mode through which Mercy Corps works with beneficiaries in Lebanon, and local organisations will remain close collaborators. Lebanon will also pursue opportunities to address younger populations, using its experience in education and educational development to build the capacity of schools and teachers to prepare Lebanese youth for success and self-determination.
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