Hundreds of elderly and disabled people in Lebanon receive more dignified care with the support of the Hungary Helps Program. The Sovereign Order of Malta’s relief organization in Lebanon provides meals, health check-ups, and community programs for those in need at its institutions. Several projects of the Order have been realized in recent years with Hungarian assistance.
Lebanon has been experiencing a political and economic crisis for years. The country is significantly behind other states in ensuring social protection for the elderly. About 80 percent of pensioners depend on family support while having minimal savings. Elderly people who previously worked in the private sector do not have access to social security or pension benefits. Additionally, they face the burden of persistently high food and medicine prices.
Besides the elderly, people with disabilities are among the most vulnerable social groups, making up around 10–15 percent of the population. Due to the state’s passivity, they face systemic exclusion, limited access to services, and discrimination.
In 2024, the Order of Malta Lebanon relief organization submitted a support request to the Hungary Helps Agency to seek assistance for their institutions in Kefraya, Roumba, Chabrouh, and KfarDebian, which provide homes for the elderly and disabled. Thanks to the support, they were able not only to cover the basic operation of the institutions but also to provide social and health care and food donations to those in need.
As a result, more than 650 pensioners regularly received nutritious meals, and the beneficiaries of the institutions enjoyed various services for months. These included nursing and medical examinations, as well as opportunities to participate in crafting, seasonal thematic, spiritual, and recreational activities.
The Hungary Helps Program also contributed to other projects of the Order of Malta Lebanon. For example, support was provided to the Robert de Lobkowicz Educational Center operating on the premises of Bhannes Hospital. The hospital treats children aged 3 to 16 with cerebral palsy, providing education and development from Monday to Friday beyond rehabilitation—both residential and day care—using personalized methods that take into account the children’s mobility and other abilities.
With the support of Hungary Helps, the children received education and various treatments. Their social and speech skills were developed, learning processes supported, and computer skills acquisition facilitated.
Additionally, the program has contributed to humanitarian and emergency aid provided by the Order, which was launched to support internally displaced families in Lebanon.
