BRAMPTON, ON, Sept. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - As the Syrian refugee crisis continues to grow, Partners International Canada (PI) has a partner organization in Lebanon that is committed to helping provide immediate relief for those who are being displaced. With over one million refugees currently residing in Lebanon, our partner, Free Evangelical Association of Lebanon (FEAL) is working to come alongside refugees that are now trapped in makeshift tents in Lebanon. As the number of refugees continues to grow so to does the amount of time they are kept in transition facilities while awaiting their fate within the slow moving legal system.
As a result, FEAL has expanded beyond relief efforts to help bring stability to a world of chaos for so many displaced families. This now includes social programs to help the most vulnerable move out of the short-term facilities, and educational programs for children and parents in the form of music, reading, and writing. As the world continues to move without them FEAL endeavours to provide a sense of normalcy to life by investing in families lives for their well-being. Through the work of our local partner FEAL, Canadians can directly engage and help those most neglected and trapped immediately.
It is integral that long-term support is provided for displaced people, with FEAL running a program known as the Oasis Project that works with 120 families to provide education, training and transitional housing to move in-danger families out of refugee communities and into a more permanent setting. PI president, Kevin McKay, as well as the director of FEAL, Joseph Najem, are available to speak on the growing difficulties that face Lebanon as they seek to help shelter the millions of refugees in Lebanon.
"In Lebanon, we have over 1 million registered Syrian refugees in a country with a population of 4 million. It's a big problem for the country," says Joseph Najem, director of FEAL. As Kevin McKay, the president of PI, prepares to travel to Lebanon this October he is aware of the difficulties the country faces. "Our local partner FEAL has a long journey ahead as they work with refugees amid a crisis with no end in sight," says McKay. "The FEAL team has a tremendously difficult task in front of them but also an incredible opportunity to share God's love in practical ways while unconditionally caring for people that have lost everything. Many of these families can't wait for government agencies to complete months of application processing. Their children starve, lack education and the basic necessities that we take for granted. Displacement and poverty is chaos. But Canadians have a tremendous history of leading the way."
As the world searches for a way to harbour millions of refugees, there is a way for Canadians to directly affect the lives of displaced peoples. Our locally based partner works in the refugee camps, helping many recover. While there are many trying to cross into Europe, millions have been in Lebanon since 2011 crying out for help.
Partners International Canada is a leading Christian not-for-profit delivering holistic international development. Our mission is to mobilize Canadians into partnership with indigenous NGO's to bring sustainable transformation in the world's harshest sectors. By partnering with indigenous organizations we are able to provide direct, grassroots assistance to those who need it most. For more information on our work please visit www.partnersinternational.ca
SOURCE Partners International Canada
Partners International Canada, 8500 Torbram Road, Brampton, Ontario, Contact: Luke McKee, Phone: 905.599.4944, Email: [email protected]
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