Looking Ahead in Lebanon: War Child’s Commitment to Children & Communities in the Wake of Conflict

After months of suffering amidst conflict, 2025 brings fresh hopes and renewed determination for people in Lebanon. Last year, the country witnessed the largest escalation of conflict since 2006, leading to widespread devastation, mass displacement, and the disruption of essential services such as healthcare, education and water supply. While recent ceasefire agreements have brought temporary relief for many communities – allowing some displaced families to return home – thousands of homes, schools, and public facilities have been destroyed. In addition, sporadic violence has continued to flare in the South.

“Many people have lost everything, and countless others are facing immense challenges as they try to rebuild their lives from scratch. It’s crucial that we stand ready to support these hundreds of thousands of people, not just in the immediate future but for the long journey ahead,” says Nisrine Yassine, country director for Lebanon.

Children in Lebanon, in particular, face ongoing trauma and uncertainty. Even now, more than 1.3 million people have been affected by the hostilities, including hundreds of thousands of children.

Responding to emergency needs

War Child Lebanon responded swiftly to the hostilities that rapidly escalated in late September in collaboration with partners such as Nusaned, LOST, SHIFT, UNICEF, and UPEL and in cooperation with multiple donors such as UNICEF, Finn Church Aid, and the Dutch Relief Alliance, among others. Together, we reached more than 3,162 families including 6,610 children with food, hygiene kits, mental health and psychosocial support, and child protection activities. Our work was particularly focused on the most urgent needs of people in displacement shelters and the establishment of makeshift safe spaces. Our teams and partner staff distributed 48,710 meals, provided recreation activities to help children regain a sense of normalcy, and implemented psychological first aid for those showing signs of distress.

Zahra is from Baalbek. Despite the conflict unfolding around her hometown, Zahra recalls the bright moments of laughter and friendship she found through activities organized by War Child's partner, LOST, supported by Finn Church Aid.

“Even though we were in the middle of a conflict, we got together and had so much fun,” Zahra recalls. “It was all thanks to the activities [we took part in]. They made us feel like children again, happy and free.”

And while any pause in the violence is welcome, the humanitarian situation remains dire. A permanent, region-wide ceasefire is urgently needed to protect children and ensure their rights.

Continuing our Support

In light of the albeit temporary pause in conflict, War Child and our partners will focus on supporting children and their families to recover through child-centred services, education support, and continuing to advocate for and with children. Through our close collaboration with international organisations and government institutions, our priority is to ensure that assistance reaches communities far from support systems.

We will continue to expand our mental health and child protection initiatives in areas where children remain displaced, prioritising safe spaces and activities that promote healing and resilience. Our colleagues are currently working on the initial planning and implementation of new programs, in addition to reactivating programs from last year while tailoring them to a post-conflict setting.

The conflict also heavily affected the education system, with more than 54 schools still closed or damaged. We are scaling up our 'Can’t Wait to Learn' programme in coordination with the Ministry of Education to ensure that even in crisis and the devastation it leaves behind, children can continue their education.

We know, however, that only lasting peace will allow children to fully recover and build a future, War Child calls on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians - especially children.

“We join other humanitarian actors in urging the international community to strengthen ceasefire efforts so families can safely rebuild their lives and reestablish a sense of normalcy. Only then will children be able to thrive,” says Nisrine Yassine.

A Path to Recovery

Looking ahead, War Child in Lebanon stands with the children and families whose lives been turned upside down by this conflict. By offering psychosocial support, restoring access to education, and coordinating closely with our local partners, we aim to help communities recover and reclaim a sense of hope.

By working together—across organisations, the government, and communities – we can ensure Lebanon’s children do not bear the brunt of a crisis they did not create.