Integral continues to facilitate a joint operations and communication response amongst its Members for the Syrian humanitarian crisis. The result of this collaborative action was that TEAR Fund New Zealand were put in touch with World Renew’s partner LSESD. They have since successfully been able to leverage their relationship with the NZ government, and their constituency, to support LSESD’s efforts to prepare Syrian refugees in Lebanon for the coming winter. LSESD have been providing assistance to displaced families fleeing the civil violence inside Syria since the crisis began in 2011 …
Jan Eyre, Integral’s DM Coordinator, comments, “We are all delighted that TEAR Fund NZ was successful in their funding application to the NZ government. The winterisation programme that they will fund really complements the work that World Renew are already supporting in the same area, enabling LSESD to provide a much more comprehensive response to some of the most vulnerable refugees in the Bekaa valley. These activities will enable the longer term
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| Syrian refugees in a makeshift camp, Beqaa Valley, Lebanon. Tearfund partner Medair. White vinyl sheeting has been given by Medair to improve weatherproofing. 10th February 2013. Photo: Eleanor Bentall |
large scale food aid project to carry on over the winter period, by ensuring that the refugees have access to vital winter supplies.”
Kevin Riddell, Humanitarian Programmes Officer with TEAR Fund NZ, explains how this cooperation came about: “Through the Integral DR website I saw that World Renew were working with LSESD and initially we wanted to see if TEAR Fund NZ could support the food distribution programme. This was followed by a conference call that Jan Eyre arranged for me to present my case. Afterwards we worked the possibilities through with World Renew and their partner LSESD, and we took it from there.”
The total budget for the winterisation programme ($453,778 NZ) has been met by a combination of funds from the NZ government, and money raised from TEAR Fund NZ’s own private fundraising campaign. This means that they are able to support the whole of LSESD’s winterisation programme, which covers 2200 extremely vulnerable families who fall outside of the UN food and shelter support programmes, in 6 locations. The programme will distribute blankets, mattresses and stoves, and provide monthly heating fuel vouchers during the coldest four months of the winter. It will also ensure these at-risk refugee families have access to safe drinking water by providing water-filters to each household.
Kevin says, “We anticipate that we will be able to provide all of the essential winter needs for the identified beneficiaries who are already being supported by the World Renew/Canadian Food Grain Bank assistance. The idea is that this main project will stay on track and not be derailed by the coming cold winter! TEAR Fund NZ will also provide project support in the form of personnel over the winter months, as well as follow-up in the spring with LSESD to monitor the impact of the winter support.”
Rupen Das, Director of Community Development and Relief with LSESD, comments on what the cooperation has meant for them:"The complex nature and scope of the Syrian crisis is such that these collaborations (between World Renew, Tearfund New Zealand and LSESD), facilitated by the Integral Alliance, are critical in meeting the overwhelming needs of the refugees in Lebanon. World Renew has been vital in enabling LSESD to establish the initial relief efforts in various communities through local churches. This has built capacity and credibility, which in turn has been leveraged to access larger grants from CFGB and from the New Zealand government through TEAR Fund NZ."
As of September 2013 Integral Members had shared nearly $1.5 million US funding with other Members and their partners that we know of. They have also exchanged expertise such as specialist support for assessments and institutional funding relationships.
Read a story from World Renew's recent visit to Lebanon
Integral Alliance is a WEA affiliate and has served as a global partner to the WEA in the field of relief and development since 2006. Integral contributes to the WEA’s goal of fostering Christian unity around the world through working with its Members on a more integrated and collaborative strategy in disasters.
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