Minister Abou Faoor personally follows up the case of the Chidiac sisters with the poverty alleviation programme

Following the report published by Al Nahar newspaper yesterday about Bernadette Chidiac and her sister who live in a dire condition but have not benefited from the National Programme to Support the Poorest Families in Lebanon, Minister Abou Faoor issued a statement thanking Al Nahar for covering this story while clarifying the ways in which the said programme operates.
The statement first indicated that the programmed follows objective assessment mechanisms which are controlled and monitored.  According to the Minister, this mechanism is totally transparent and does not allow for any kind of interference and is subject to the advice of other Ministries.  If an applicant is refused, he or she is able to have recourse and ask for a reconsideration of his file which will be addressed via another social assessment.
The statement notes as a second point that the National Programme to Support the Poorest Families in Lebanon was a new experience and model in the work of public institutions which was different from the usual ways of working which left negative impressions with citizens.  As such, the Minister noted that the programme and its management are ready to consider any suggestion to improve the performance and transparency of the programme which, in any case, happens on a regular basis.
Thirdly, the statement reminds that the programme assisted some 165000 Lebanese citizens with school tuition fees to more than 10000 students in addition to assistance in purchasing school book.  Students enrolled in the 2012-2013 scholastic year benefited from this assistance all over the country.  Furthermore, 20000 students enrolled in vocational and/or secondary education benefited from this programme in addition to the distribution of 8000 food rations distributed via the MOSA community centers.  The latter also distribute medicines free of charge with more than 36000 families benefiting from MOSA centers across the country.
The statement concludes with the case of Bernadette Chidiac and her sister from the village of Chowayya in the Metn and notes that the programme management sent another assessment team to visit them today and evaluate their social and economic conditions and undertake the necessary steps rapidly so as to reconsider their file.
Source: Al-Nahar 8 November 2013