Nabi Ayla, a town in Zahleh district in the Beqaa Valley, is home to around 3,200 Lebanese residents and 1,200 Syrian refugees. Despite an active municipality, Lebanon’s nationwide economic crisis, couple with the sustained presence of refugees, has severely strained already weak infrastructure and limited the municipality’s ability to provide basic services, including the urgent need to improve public safety.

The downtrodden road at the town’s entrance linking the village to its surroundings has been causing regular road accidents, especially during the harsh winter months, leading to enhanced communal tensions over public safety. In response, the USAID-funded Community Support Program (CSP) constructed a new 137-meter retaining wall with concrete barriers and side rails, which was completed in April 2022.

To further enhance road safety and maximize the impact of this intervention, CSP completed a set of additional works in mid-September 2023, including constructing a new extended section of around 40 meters in length to the previously constructed retaining wall, as well as installing guard rails and making asphalt reinstatements in preparation for the winter season. This intervention is enhancing community accessibility, limiting safety hazards, and mitigating tensions for more than 4,400 residents.

“This crucial and timely intervention which was completed before the harsh winter months is already preventing car accidents and ensuring public safety in our village. We really appreciate USAID and CSP’s efforts in making Nabi Ayla a safer place”, said Ali Abou Al Hassan, a Nabi Ayla resident.