Qbaiyat, Aandqet, and Akroum, in Akkar District, were among the villages hardest hit by the 2021 wildfires in North Lebanon. The resulting losses stirred up sectarian tensions among residents, which were compounded by Lebanon’s ongoing socio-economic crisis and soaring unemployment rates. In response, the USAID-funded Community Support Program (CSP) is implementing an income-generating Labor-Intensive Work (LIW) activity across the three localities, involving a range of forest cleaning, and clearing activities to sustainably mitigate the risk of forest fires. CSP’s local sub-implementer, the Rene Moawad Foundation (RMF), initiated the first cycle of groundworks with 75 workers in Qbaiyat and 50 in Akroum; to date, they have cleared around 2.8 km² in Qbaiyat and 6 km² in Akroum. Meanwhile, around 125 worker applications are being screened for eligibility before proceeding with the works in Aandqet. CSP expects to complete the groundworks in all three areas by the end of September 2022. By providing financial support over a four-week period to around 500 vulnerable Lebanese residents, this activity aims to mitigate tensions among residents whilst reducing the risk of fires for the coming season.

“We have come together as a team to protect our forests and communities from the fires. This activity is equally helping create temporary jobs for the youth; it presents an opportunity for me to save money for my education,” stated Layal Abboud, LIW worker from Qbaiyat.