MSF is supporting the implementation of a kitchen project where Ahlafawda, a local NGO, and Barzakh, a restaurant in Beirut, are working closely together to provide free meals for displaced individuals at the Al Azarieh shelter. A complex building that was turned into a refuge space for those displaced during the current war.
The kitchen has been running since October 21st and is providing approximately 2,000 meals daily. Efforts from Ahlafawda and Barzakh focus on sourcing ingredients for meal preparation and training volunteers, primarily women, who have come forward to help their fellow displaced community members. These women gain skills in meal preparation and receive training on safety and cleanliness standards. MSF has assisted in rehabilitating the kitchen, transforming it from a deserted space in the Azarieh complex into a proper kitchen.
The impressive mobilization of community-led initiatives and civil society efforts in Lebanon has been inspiring. In addition to this kitchen project, MSF is also supporting community-led initiatives addressing the relief needs of displaced individuals, primarily focusing on food and meal provision in Tyre and Saida in southern Lebanon.