News updates

UNHCR released yesterday a report entitled “Woman Alone: The Fight for Survival by Syria’s Refugee Women”, which shed light on the daily struggles of displaced Syrian women in order to secure basic needs for their families. The report said that more than 145 thousand Syrian families that fled to Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, which represents 1 out of 5 families, are headed by women who have to face alone the suffering of displacement. These women are now the primary caretaker and breadwinner of their families in the absence of their husbands and of traditional community support systems. Alone, these women are exposed to exploitation and blackmailing almost everywhere, at their residencies, at the work place, in aid distribution centers and in public transportation.
The report gave the following estimates for the numbers of displaced Syrian women heading their families: 13,911 women in Egypt, 57,421 women in Jordan, and 7,267 women in Iraq. In Lebanon, which has the largest population of Syrian refugees, the total number of women responsible for their families reaches 70,189 women.
According to the same report, and though there is in Lebanon more than 150 associations active in providing different services to displaced Syrian women and their families, severe livelihoods conditions have forced some of these women to depend on themselves and to find solutions to their daily problems. The outcome is that many have now acquired a sense of autonomy and empowerment, having taken over non-traditional roles as main providers to their families. The report reveals that only one out of 5 women works for a salary, one other out of 5 women is supported by relatives, while some depend for their survival on members of the hosting community, such as landlords that allow these women to reside in houses for free. The report adds that many women are forced to send their children to work in unfair circumstances, while only 25% actually receive financial aid from the UNHCR or other humanitarian organizations. It is to be noted that the launch event of the new UNHCR report included a the showing of a documentary film which narrates the story of Lina, a Syrian displaced woman, living in Lebanon with her children. To watch the film please click on the following link: Lina’s Story

Source: Al-Safir, Al-Hayat, Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, The Daily Star 9 July 2014

To read the full report in English, please click on the following link: Woman Alone: The Fight for Survival by Syria’s Refugee Women

Environmental health student at AUB, Sara Moledor, won the Samir & Claude Abillama Eco-Entrepreneurship Award for her project entitled Vermicomposting which uses earthworms to transform organic waste such as vegetable and fruit peels and grass into natural compost to be used as fertilizers thus replacing the use of chemicals. Sarah expressed her appreciation of this award which is a sum of USD 20,000 and added that this money will allow her to implement her project which will in turn save farmers the cost of fertilizers and increase their benefits due to increase of eco-friendly agricultural yield.  Sara had applied her idea in Batlun in Shouf when she was preparing her dissertation.
 
To be noted that Sara is a US citizen and has been living in Lebanon for three years and was one of the 57 contestants for this award which was launched in 2013  as a collaboration between the Nature Conservation Center (NCC) at AUB and the Samir & Claude Abillama Eco-Entrepreneurship Award.  The award aims at encouraging eco-friendly businesses, raising environmental awareness, and increasing investment in bio-diversity.  The award focuses on helping holders of small environmental projects and initiatives which have a local impact.
 
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 5 July 2014

L’Orient le Jour published yesterday an article originally published by a UK newspaper about restaurant in Ibiza called Patchwork and which is classified amongst the three best restaurants on this island.  The restaurant offers traditional Lebanese cuisine including beurek, shish taouk, baba ghannouj and other plates and is run by a French couple.
Also, and according to l’Orient le Jour, Lebanese cuisine has attracted the interested of a number of foreign newspapers including the London Evening which noted that tennis players Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova preferred plate is Shish Taook and Lebanese baklava.  British Daily Mail also wrote that Tabbuleh is one of the preferred meals of Kate Middleton.  The newspaper noted that this is not the first time that foreign newspapers pick up articles on Lebanese cuisine.  Only a few months ago, the Lebanese Cedars restaurant was selected as the best restaurant in the UK.  The restaurant is run by Lebanese-Australian chef Gray Maalouf who won the title of creator of a new style of cooking known as 'Modern Middle Eastern'.  LoJ adds that Lebanese-Brazilian chef Alex Attalah was on the cover of Time magazine as the “King of cuisine”.
 
Source: The daily Star 8 July 2014

Nahar newspaper published an article on the views of the Ministry of Economy and Trade concerning the present social and economic crisis that Lebanon has been going through over the past few months especially in relation to economic reforms and the issue of the salary scale. The Minister of Economy, Alain Hakim, considers that introducing comprehensive economic reforms is a pressing issue for Lebanon.  He revealed the details of a plan that his Ministry has already put into motion namely in the form of an economic recovery plan which involves a number of sectors and which will be discussed with key stakeholders namely Lebanese economic institutions so that it can be later submitted to the Cabinet.  The (old-new) plan focuses on supporting investments through securing flexible loans for the private sector, introducing a taxation policy which will ensure equitable development in all parts of Lebanon as well as facilitate administrative procedures, open new external markets for Lebanese companies, and boost internal consumption through the creation of new work opportunities.  This will go hand in hand with the plans to introduce administrative, financial and economic reforms and to combating corruption and wastage in public utilities and services, strengthening the economic infrastructure through enhancing productive capacities as well as fostering the private-public partnership.
With regards to the adoption of new salaries scales, the Minister confirmed that this matter faces several hurdles, namely of financial nature. He warned of the negative repercussions if not enough domestic financial resources are secured, forcing the government to issue new treasury bonds and thus increasing public debt and deficit with grave repercussions on the financial rating of the country and its monetary stability.

Source: Al-Nahar 8 July 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on Carobs production in Iqlim al Kharroub and Nabatieh which has prospered during the mandates of the new municipalities created in the 1990s as the planting of carob trees was given due consideration during the reforestation campaigns which started then.  Carob has become an income generating plant which the municipality is offering to lease through a bidding process.
The report notes that the Carob Molasses factories have started recently in these areas after the creation of the factory in Arab Salim as a result of the efforts of the Agriculture Association with the support of funding agencies.  This factory is now one of its kind in the region in terms of its modern status.  The factory can produce 100 tons of high quality molasses and is sought by many people who plant and process and trade in carobs.  The president of the association, engineer Kassem Hassan, noted that the organization is keen on maximizing benefit from carob seeds in view of its importance in cosmetics production.  He added that the organization also produces carob juices and sugar free carobs biscuits.
In the village of Kharayeb in Zahrani, processing of carobs molasses is considered to be a rural and artisanal craft and a main landmark of this village which has been producing it for 60 years.  The village had two old carobs presses one of which is still operational and is managed by Ali Khalife who noted that this food will remain a main dish in the village.
Source: Al-Safir 8 July 2014

Some 40 business women representing agricultural and handicraft cooperatives as well as women’s committees from various parts of North Lebanon took part in an intensive training workshop on project proposal writing organized by the Rene Moawwad Foundation (RMF).  This activity was held with the framework of a project entitled “improving the living conditions of women in North Lebanon” which is funded by the EU and implemented by RMF, Fair Trade Lebanon, DOT Lebanon, Mada and the NGO Gathering to follow up on women’s issues. The workshop covered a number of subjects namely the project cycle, strategy design, timeframe, systems, programmes, objectives, budgets and others.  The purpose was to build the skills of women in order to assist them in writing proposals to obtain funding for their projects and to allow them to develop comprehensive and sustainable projects. The funding initiative will be launched next Monday with a deadline for presenting proposal for funding by August 8th.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 7 July 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on an individual development initiative launched by a young woman, Farah Abdulsater and her sister, May, in Baalbek and which is a novelty in the region.  Farah tells As Safir that the initiative will prepare for the creation of a network which will bring together women holding small enterprises as well as other women who has significant experience as well as the capacity to provide technical and material input.  Both groups will collaborate to create or develop existing small businesses.  
The first project to benefit from this initiative is the Samra Café run by the forty year old woman who is the head of her household and its only provider.  For many years the owner of Samra Café was baking “Manaqeesh” in her wood oven and spoke of her dream to expand her small café which already employs four people.
Farah noted that they do not intend to turn their initiative into an association but would like it to remain within a framework of “woman to woman”.  She added that the support needed is not only financial but also includes building capacities, training and other support.  She added that the financial support which will be provided is unconditional and is not a loan and the supporting party will provide advice and monitoring of projects progress.  Farah added that she intends to create a website for the initiative to play the role of a go-between women project holders and potential supporters.  She also added that this site will be used as a communication tool to suggest projects, provide support or even form volunteer groups through the initiative’s official facebook page.
Source: Al-Safir 7 July 2014

To mark the occasion of the month of Ramadan, Zamanona Association organized an exhibition entitled “an idea and a gift” the benefits of which will be used for social, health and education support to some 120 Lebanese families.  The event was held last week under the auspices of the vice president of the Walid bin Talal Foundation, former Minister Leila Solh 7hmadeh. Within a related vein, former Minister al Solh also inaugurated the annual Ramadan exhibition of the Ajialouna organization and which was entitled “be one of Ajialouna”.  The event was held at the Ajialouna boutique in Solidere in downtown Beirut and included various Ramadan art shows.  The exhibition features the products of the association’s workshop including embroidery and painting made especially for the occasion include a large number of handmade Ramadan gifts.
Source: Al-Nahar 7 July 2014

A delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture including a representative of Minister Chehayeb, and the Ministry DG, Louis Lahhoud, visited the Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM) in Montpellier to discuss collaboration between the two parties.  The visit which lasted for two days came within the framework of preparations for the launching of the second phase of the ENPARD project which aims at building capacities and implementing projects in the agricultural sector. During the visit the Lebanese delegation presented its vision of the various components that should be included in the project’s second phase.  These recommendations were much appreciated by CIHEAM and included a) support to the olive oil sector with new technology to adhere more to standards and increase exports, b) train beekeepers and set up a laboratory to test honey, c) supporting apple growers through introducing new species and setting up an apple refrigerator, and d) organizing training workshops to forest rangers and bringing in equipments to protect forest especially within natural reserves. Finally, the Delegation also discussed with CIHEAM the possibility of increasing the number of scholarships to agriculture students in Lebanese universities in addition to strengthening the role of agricultural cooperatives and providing them with various forms of support.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 4 July 2014

Kferselwan hosted over one week an exhibition of 10 development projects designed by students of the Lebanese Amercican University.  These ten projects were graduation projects prepared under the supervision of engineer Hala Younes.  The projects address the problematic of the relation between urbanization and the changing space in Mount Lebanon through a study of the village of Kfarselwan in the upper Metn.  These projects were designed in such a way that they are in harmony with the local rural environment and its environmental characteristics.  The project are based on the intersections of the mountain scenery, the historical genesis of the place and its social and economic conditions with emphasis on agricultural transformation, construction and the proximity of forests and the rampant quarries.
Source: Al-Nahar 4 July 2014