CSP Supports Bechmezzine, Amioun, and Ain Ebel Municipalities to Collect $ 81,000 in Diaspora Funding
For the past few decades and amidst recurrent crises, the Lebanese diaspora has played a key role in supporting their families in Lebanon survive turbulent economic and security situations. Estimated at over $6.2 billion per year, diaspora support became more critical since the onset of the economic crisis in 2019. As municipalities continue to face severe financial constraints in maintaining the provision of essential public services, USAID’s Community Support Program (CSP) built the capacities of the municipalities of Ain Ebel, Amioun, and Bechmezzine to attract diaspora support for needed community interventions.
As such, CSP trained the three municipalities on intervention design, diaspora networking, proposal writing, cooperation with local NGOs for co-design and implementation, and transparent finance management. As a result, between July and August 2023, the communities were able to effectively engage with their diaspora across Europe, Arab countries, and the United States to garner support for three community projects: a solar streetlighting initiative in Bechmezzine to enhance safety, a solar farm in Ain Ebel for sustainable electricity, and a solar farm in Amioun for sustainable water supply.
By end of 2023, the communities successfully raised $81,000, of which $41,000 were allocated to the implementation of the pre-designed projects to enhance public services, while the remaining $40,000 were allocated to the emergency response in Ain Ebel, South Lebanon, which has been witnessing shelling and mass displacement amidst the ongoing southern border hostilities since October 2023 in the aftermath of the Gaza-Israel conflict.
“Thanks to USAID’s timely technical support, we were able to establish an immediate emergency sub-committee to solicit diaspora support to the residents of Ain Ebel impacted by the conflict along the Lebanese border. By employing the same process and methodology, and establishing trust with our diaspora, we were able to swiftly raise the necessary funds,” said Imad Lallous, Mayor of Ain Ebel.
