Lebanon: beyond the emergency

Following the devastating double explosion on 4th August 2020 in the port area of Beirut in Lebanon, Electriciens sans frontières mobilised to meet electricity needs (lighting, communication, etc.). To go further and provide clean and sustainable electrical solutions, we are now working on setting up solar installations in schools and training centres.

Destroyed homes, devastated hospitals, a health system in tatters… Hundreds have died, thousands are injured and more than 300,000 have nowhere to live.

Faced with this, a CMA-CGM cargo vessel enabled nearly 5 tonnes of electrical equipment to be shipped. A team of five Electriciens sans frontières volunteers was sent to the site in exceptional conditions due to the Covid-19 health crisis. Thus, families affected by the explosion were given a solar light, enabling them to have light at night-time and to recharge their phones, and NGOs were able to benefit from reliable electricity, thus allowing them to help the affected populations.

In addition, during this mission, around ten schools were identified for the subsequent implementation of a programme to strengthen their energy resilience.

Beyond the emergency: we have a commitment to combat climate change by setting up autonomous, clean and sustainable solar installations for schools and training centres.

KEY FIGURES

The post-emergency mission:

• 56 Emergency Medical Services of the Lebanese Red Cross and 5 centres of the Lebanese NGO Secours Populaire have been equipped with generators for their rescue activities to the population
• 500 solar lights have been distributed to the most vulnerable
• 15 shelters were equipped with emergency electrical solutions

This intervention was carried out in close collaboration with the Lebanese Red Cross, the Lebanese Secours Populaire, and the Beit el Baraka.

The building programme to ensure schools have power resilience:

Installing photovoltaic installations makes it possible to respond to various challenges:

• Financial: by focusing on solar energy, we can largely reduce the costs associated with meeting electricity needs
• Environmental: thanks to the use of renewable energies we can limit the negative impact on the environment and climate change
• Resilience: energy supply is erratic and establishments need reliable access to electricity

Our operational partners:

• The Lebanese Red Cross,
• The Lebanese Secours Populaire,
• Beit-el-Baraka,
• and with logistical support from the Croix Rouge Insertion.