Baalbek-Hermel is one of Lebanon’s most underserved governorates and has been heavily affected by prolonged crisis, displacement, economic collapse, and ongoing Israeli airstrikes. The region, sharing a large border with Syria, hosts large populations of Syrian refugees—both long-term and newly arrived—living alongside Lebanese host communities. Children in this context are growing up under chronic stress, insecurity, and uncertainty.
In addition to primary healthcare services, MSF provides mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services through fixed facilities and mobile clinics in the area. Among children, MSF teams observe anxiety, sleep disturbances, withdrawal, behavioral changes, as well as difficulty concentrating. Many children lack the language or emotional tools to articulate fear, grief, and loss mid repeated exposure to violence, displacement, and instability.
Art-based psychosocial activities, particularly drawing sessions, have emerged as an accessible and impactful entry point for mental health support. These sessions allow children to express complex emotions indirectly and safely, while also offering MSF teams insight into children’s lived experiences and psychological needs. The piece uses a first-person narrative by Glykeria Koukouliata, the mental health acitivity manager in the Baalbek-Hermel project, to humanize MSF’s MHPSS work and demonstrate how simple creative interventions can support healing at individual, family, and community levels.