Diakonia Department, Beirut’s Office
Standing Together and Supporting the Most Vulnerable People
Homeless families, poor people, uprooted refugees... are living amidst daily ongoing pressures. Therefore, the programs of the Service and Relief - Diakonia Department of the Middle East Council of Churches have an important role in preserving human rights and dignity, and embracing the neediest. The service work stems from our firm Christian belief that Christ himself founded this service through His healing of physical and psychological diseases, calling on every believer to serve his fellow.
Lebanon, as other countries of the Middle East, is witnessing difficult living conditions. Therefore, peacebuilding efforts are increasing at many levels, especially in the field of humanitarian work in order to ensure social stability and cohesion. Thus, the Diakonia Department, Beirut’s Office, implements various programs aiming to sorrow hope in broken hearts.
Psychological and Social Support for women
Among the Diakonia programs, the Department in Beirut organizes many psychosocial support sessions throughout the year aiming to heal the wounds of the most vulnerable groups, enhance their capacities and empower them. Hence, the department stresses the important role every person can make in society, especially towards the expected and desired peace.
In August 2022, the department continued its psychological and social support sessions, and organized sessions for women, children and adolescents, in partnership and cooperation with the international humanitarian organization Norwegian Church Aid – NCA. The sessions were implemented at Our Lady Dispensary in Sabtieh – Lebanon, and affiliated to MECC.
Therefore, 48 women in 8 groups participated each in 5 psychosocial support sessions. Women suffer from various psychological problems which are exacerbated due to loneliness, gender-based violence, isolation from others, or even trauma of their past situation.
These sessions aimed to develop the participants' skills as they learned focusing on positive energies and transforming their negative emotions into something productive, as well as coping with their environment and society. The sessions addressed the mental health needs of women and provide two levels of intervention, in large groups through art techniques and also additional sessions in smaller groups for those who have higher mental health needs.
Accompanying Children and Teenagers
Last August also, 18 children in 3 groups attended 4 psychosocial support sessions, which contributed to empowering them and promoting their well-being and resilience. The sessions included recreational activities and games, which aimed to develop their capabilities and knowledge in dealing with the emotional, social, and practical challenges that they may face in their lives. Participants also learned to express themselves and built their self-esteem, as well as appropriate behaviors for interacting with their parents, siblings or others, amidst daily life pressures.
Moreover, 12 adolescents in 2 groups participated in 4 psychosocial support sessions. These adolescents suffer from many challenges due to displacement, social isolation and even delay in education... so they are facing despair and depression, and difficulties in communication with their families, especially at this delicate period of their lives.
In this context, mothers of the participants, as caregivers, expressed the need for these psychosocial support sessions for teenagers so that they can have a safe space to discuss topics or challenges facing them. Hence, topics centered around how to deal with emotions and bad thoughts, and awareness on Gender based violence... Some topics were accessed via tablets and through an application called “Helping Hand”.
