In 2011, due to the beginning of the Syrian conflict, the Social Promotion Foundation launched an important humanitarian work, which is still in place, in order to contribute to the establishment of peace and improve the situation of those who suffer it, in the countries most affected and with the largest number of refugees and / or displaced persons: Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

These families suffer in a very direct way the rigor of an overcoming situation. The personal situations they go through severely limit their freedom and the possibility of growing up with a minimum guarantee of dignity.

In Lebanon, work is being done to benefit the Syrian refugee population and the Lebanese population residing in host communities to improve the welfare of Syrian refugees and vulnerable populations through the provision of Mental Health, Health, and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services in Zahlé (Valley of the Bekaa).

This action is part of the project “Reducing economic barriers to accessing health services in Lebanon (REBAHS Lebanon)” funded by the Regional Trust Fund of the European Union in Response to the Syrian Crisis (MADAD Fund).

One of the key components of the foundation’s work in this project is the training of first-line humanitarian workers in Lebanon who offer primary care to Syrian refugees and the vulnerable host population, training them in psychological first aid and crisis management.

The training is carried out through the delivery of one-day training in Crisis Management in Mental Health (Identification, care, and referral) for Frontliners, Social Workers and Case Managers and training in Psychological First Aid (PFA) for Humanitarian Personnel.

During these days there are five training courses on Mental Health Crisis Management, given by the Consultant Marie-Adele Salem. The training was given or will be given on the dates and locations mentioned below:

November 26 (Beirut): 20 participants.
December 3 (Zahle): 21 participants.
December 5 (Beirut): 26 participants.
December 10 (Tripoli): 27 participants.
December 13 (Saida): 26 participants.

The profile of the participants is: psychologists, case managers, psychosocial support technicians, Mental Health professionals -Both of NGOs and Agencies and of the Ministry of Public Health-, counselors-educators and animators.

The theme is how to deal with an Emotional Crisis or how to help who is suffering from an approach to the achievement of empathy and increase their resilience and improvement through tools such as dialogue or mirror therapy (empathy).

Our activity in the work carried out in a consortium formed by the International Medical Corps UK (IMC) as a leader, with the partners Première Urgence-Aide Médicale Internationale (PU-AMI) and the Social Promotion Foundation itself, to improve access to services in quality of primary health care, community health and health services for children and other vulnerable people in Mount Lebanon, Akkar, Tripoli, Bekaa and the South, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).