Amel Association International (Amel) signed on Monday, February 5, 2018, an agreement with l’Agence Française de Développement (AFD), for the set up of the project “Health and Protection, Vectors of Social Cohesion”, implemented in partnership with International Alert (Alert) and Samusocial International (SSI). The signing of this agreement took place at the health center of Amel, located in the Bekaa (Kamed El Loz), in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of France in Lebanon, Mr Bruno Foucher, Director of the Agency French Development Minister in Beirut, Olivier Ray, President of Amel and Coordinator of the NGO Collective in Lebanon, Dr. Kamel Mohanna, as well as representatives of Amel partners, the municipality of Kamed El Loz and Lebanese Ministries.

A visit was organised beforehand, in the informal camp of Khiyara, in order to meet the populations affected by the Syrian crisis accessing primary health care via a mobile medical unit (operated by Amel). The mobile medical unit visited is part of Amel’s activities, financed by AFD, as part of the project “Health and Protection, Vectors of Social Cohesion”, developed by Amel, in partnership with Alert and SSI. Over the next two years, more than 100,000 people, affected by the Syrian crisis, will have access to protection and health solutions in the Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and South Lebanon regions. This is integrating the social cohesion dimension, thanks to this project, implemented by Amel and partners.

The overall goal of this project is to help reduce tensions in Lebanon by improving access to health and protection solutions for the most vulnerable populations affected by the Syrian crisis. More specifically, this project aims to strengthen the resilience of health and protection services in Lebanon, for the most vulnerable populations. This will be achieved through the establishment of quality services, raising awareness of the conflict resolution dimension, engagement of a dialogue between public and non-governmental entities involved in basic services (health and protection), capacity-building for caregivers and the identification and care of the most vulnerable children and young people in street situations, as well as their families.

Ambassador of France in Lebanon, Mr. Bruno Foucher, and the Director of the Agency French Development Minister in Beirut, Olivier Ray, and the President of Amel and Coordinator of the NGO Collective in Lebanon, Dr. Kamel Mohanna, with Amel staff. Photo Credit: Ali Rida Sbeity

The goal is to target vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese populations in equal proportions and to achieve gender parity among beneficiaries. This initiative is Phase II of a project implemented from 2016 to 2017 by Amel, in partnership with International Alert, acting on health and social cohesion.