SBT Community Kitchen Intervention and Food Distribution in Nabatiyeh, Tyre, South Lebanon, Lower Chouf, and Baalbek-Hermel

1. Problem Statement

Lebanon remains entrenched in a multi-dimensional crisis characterized by economic collapse, currency devaluation, soaring inflation, weakened governance, and regional conflict. The 2023–2024 war triggered large-scale displacement and severely affected already marginalized communities, particularly in border regions and rural areas. As a result:

• Food prices surged beyond affordability.
• Livelihoods collapsed due to job loss and disrupted markets.
• Public safety nets eroded, and communities became increasingly dependent on humanitarian aid.

This left over 80% of the population facing food insecurity, especially returnees, IDPs, and host communities living conflict-affected villages.

2. Project Objectives

1. Ensure Continuous Access to Nutritious and Culturally Appropriate Meals

• Provide hot, balanced, and culturally relevant meals to vulnerable populations—including returnees, IDPs, and impoverished host communities—across conflict-affected and food-insecure regions.

2. Safeguard Livelihoods through Community Kitchen Engagement

• Generate short-term income for vulnerable individuals, especially women and youth, by employing them in food preparation, kitchen operations, and logistics.
• Preserve the functionality of kitchens through a cash-for-work model, ensuring local economic resilience and dignity of labor.

3. Support Community Kitchens as Platforms for Recovery and Local Food Systems

• Reactivate and operate community kitchens in rural and affected areas as locally managed food security hubs.
• Promote circular economies by sourcing ingredients from local farmers, cooperatives, and small-scale producers, reinforcing market linkages and minimizing reliance on external suppliers.

4. Reinforce Local Ownership, Dignity, and Humanitarian Accountability

• Uphold humanitarian principles of dignity, participation, and transparency by involving municipalities and community leaders in planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Design inclusive services that respect cultural norms and prioritize equitable access for the most affected.

5. Maintain Strategic Coordination with Local Authorities and Partners

• Strengthen collaboration with municipal unions, governors, and local networks to facilitate needs assessments, target village selection, and adaptive distribution routing.
• Establish readiness to scale services based on evolving needs and funding availability.

3. Project Milestones and Achievements

1. March 2025: Full-Scale Operations

• Over 733,835 hot meals delivered across four kitchens in Ansar (Nabatieh), Hasbaya-Marjeyoun, Baalbek, and Lower Chouf.
• Provided 22,000 hot meals/day during Ramadan consisting of a hot meal, salad, soup, and dates.
• Created over 70 livelihood opportunities for local cooks, assistants, and logistics personnel.
• Activated circular economy linkages with local suppliers and cooperatives.

2. April 2025: Abrupt Funding Disruptions

• Faced two major funding reallocations by WCK (toward Myanmar and Gaza responses).
• Service delivery reduced to two kitchens (Ansar and Tyre) with only 3,000 meals/day.
• Despite this, 24 essential jobs preserved, and menu adjusted to maintain cultural acceptance.

3. May 2025: Sustained Reduced Operations

• A total of 93,000 hot meals distributed from the two remaining kitchens (2,000 in Ansar, 1,000 in Tyre).
• One protein-rich meal/week reintroduced via in-kind donations (meat, chicken, vegetables) provided by World Vision International.
• Municipal drivers supported logistics, reducing costs and enabling continued access to remote villages.

Total cumulative meals distributed since project inception surpassed 1,024,000.