In March 2020, we launched the "We are all one hand" campaign to support the poorest families impacted by the economic consequences of the corona virus outbreak, during which economic activity came to a stop. In coordination with aid organizations within the camps and UNRWA, the campaign distributed food vouchers to more than 6,000 families living below the poverty line, including Palestinian refugees in Lebanon as well as those that were displaced from Syria. 

The epidemic has exacted a heavy price on Palestinian refugees, more than two thirds of whom live below the poverty line. This is in addition to a sudden rise in prices in Lebanon due to the economic crisis the country is undergoing. It should be noted that one out of three Palestinians are daily or seasonal workers, and more than half of them earn less than 500,000 Lebanese pounds per month 

“Today more than ever, we need step up our common efforts to protect camp residents, who live in densely populated areas and suffer from widespread poverty that is only worsening as the economic situation in Lebanon deteriorates,” says Sawsan al-Masri, director of Taawon-Lebanon. 

“As a Palestinian donor institution, we appeal to the relevant international bodies to contribute to efforts in this regard, particularly with the outbreak of corona virus infections in Galilee camp in Baalbek. We will continue to work in coordination with UNRWA and other civil society groups involved in the camps to contain the problem and prevent it from getting worse.”