Our Work in Lebanon
Once home to the ancient Phoenician civilization, what is today Lebanon passed through the hands of the Persian, Ottoman and French empires, before declaring its independence in the midst of World War II in 1943. It quickly blossomed as a regional banking and tourism center. A superior educational system and entrepreneurial spirit also made it a regional center of excellence. Despite the ravages of a 15 year-long civil war between 1975-1990, Lebanon remains a major Middle Eastern financial and cultural center. Despite continued tensions between its many religious sects and a 34-day external war in 2006, the country now boasts one of the fastest economic growth rates in the region.
Today, International Medical Corps helps Lebanon handle the needs of the thousands of Iraqis who sought refuge there from an anti-government insurgency campaign that had turned much of Iraq into turmoil during the middle years of the decade. We provide primary health care, secondary health care and psychosocial services to both Iraqi refugees and the local host population. We engage Iraqi and Lebanese youth in sports activities as part of our psychosocial work in Lebanon. Together with other international and local humanitarian relief groups, International Medical Corps is helping coordinate information about the process of refugee returns to Iraq.