Resilience and Social Stability Project: Creating Temporary Job Opportunities to Support Lebanese Municipalities in Addressing the Economic and Social Repercussions of the Crisis

Project Overview 

(ICU / AICS in Hermel, 9/2022 – 9/2023)

Aiming to mitigate the social and economic impacts of the economic crisis on the most vulnerable groups in Lebanon, specifically Syrian refugees, this project worked to create temporary job opportunities to support Lebanese municipalities in the towns of Ain and Hermel. The project focused on improving access to income for 402 vulnerable Lebanese and refugees, and enhancing infrastructure and public services.

LUPD’s Role

The main role of the Lebanese Union for Persons with Physical Disabilities (LUPD) was to train and empower the municipalities and developmental service centers included in the project to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the project’s methodology and activities. We aimed to ensure the access and effective participation of persons with disabilities within the project.

Training Field Teams

LUPD implemented a training day for 15 field workers, municipality employees, and developmental service center staff. The training included key modules such as an introduction to disability, combating stereotypes, access to information, and positive language and effective communication, to prepare the team to integrate persons with disabilities into the “training-for-money” activities.

Awareness and Follow-up Sessions with Municipalities

Two awareness and follow-up sessions were implemented for 20 employees from the municipalities of Ain and Hermel.

• First session: Focused on the role of organizations of persons with disabilities, stereotypes, and access to municipal services.
• Second session (at the project’s conclusion): Focused on reviewing the experience and the challenges faced by the municipalities in attracting and integrating persons with disabilities. The follow-up showed remarkable success, with 24 persons with disabilities integrated in Hermel and 15 persons in Ain. Challenges related to gender and type of disability were discussed and addressed, in addition to difficulties faced by beneficiaries with the cash withdrawal process.

Final Follow-up Session

The program concluded with a joint session to reinforce the concept of inclusive municipal work and to discuss the role of municipal employees in promoting inclusion within municipal services.

Outcome

Through this intervention, we contributed to building the capacities of the local team to ensure that this development project was both a response to the crisis and, at the same time, inclusive and accessible to everyone.