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Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon and the UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Ms. Annamaria Laurini visited a Social Development Centre (SDC)* in Sarafand (near Saida) yesterday to observe activities jointly operated by Terre des hommes and the SDC in cooperation with UNICEF.
The children Terre des hommes (Tdh) cares for at the SDC* are from vulnerable communities where their families struggle to meet their basic daily needs (shelter, food, clothing). Many of the children are refugees from Syria who have been arriving in Lebanon in their hundreds of thousands since 2011. They can visit activities of this kind at the SDC once a week. For most of the children, this is currently their only educational or recreational activity. The Tdh staff at the centre work together with local government employees to support the children educationally and emotionally. They also manage awareness programs mainly targeting mothers and young women, designed to help them manage the risks of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
The EU Ambassador and UNICEF Representative watched the children participate in a puppet show about two girls debating the advantages and disadvantages of early marriage and education.
The visit by the EU delegation follows a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month by UNICEF and the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs. It outlines a 'National Plan to Safeguard Children and Women in Lebanon'. The 18-month initiative is co-funded by the European Union and will be implemented by UNICEF and experienced NGOs like Terre des hommes at 57 Social Development Centers in Lebanon.
*Under the management of the National Ministry of Social Affairs
