Foreword
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Greetings from the UNHCR Lebanon team.
As we share the Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report for 2026, I would like to take a moment to bring you a little closer to the reality on the ground, and to the people whose lives your support touches.
On one hand, this has been a difficult year for Lebanon, and our organization. The conflict and the resulting emergency caused large-scale internal displacement and loss of life, brought serious safety and security challenges, and placed our teams under considerable strain. All of this came at a time when we continue to face significant funding shortfalls. Yet we remain committed to our mandate, to staying and helping, and to the people we serve.
But on the other, throughout these challenges, the commitment of our community of supporters has been a source of hope and inspiration. When you give your Zakat, what may begin as a calculation of 2.5 per cent and a decision to support refugees, translates to so much more here on the ground.
My work gives me the opportunity to regularly meet refugees and displaced families. I see what the assistance they receive, made possible by your Zakat and other contributions, means to them. It is a reminder that someone cares and they are not alone. It is a lifeline.
Over my years with UNHCR, I have met countless refugee families whose situations have left a lasting impression on me. Their experiences remind me that our work is not simply about responding to hardship. It is also about helping families regain a sense of control, dignity and stability in their lives. Waad, a mother of six whom I met in Chhim, told us how difficult it had been for her family to live in a small shelter with little privacy and challenging living conditions. With the right support, families like hers are better able to create a safer and more dignified environment for their children, make choices about their daily lives, and look ahead with greater confidence. This is the kind of difference that support, including Zakat, can help make possible.
Your support means parents can find comfort in knowing they will be able to pay rent, instead of lying awake at night worrying about keeping a roof over their children’s heads. It means they will be able to put food on the table or afford to see a doctor when someone in the family is unwell.
For some, your support helps them pay to send their children to school. For others, it means being able to keep them in school at all, without having to rely on them to help bring in an income. It means their children can still be children, without being forced to grow up too soon.
Through my work, I see how much all this means to families, and I wish every supporter could see the difference their kindness makes. I hope the stories and real data in the following pages bring some of that closer to you and shows you how much your support matters.
Thank you for continuing to stand with them.