WORLD REHABILITATION FUND

WRF PROGRAMS IN LEBANON: WRF WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THE OPERATIVE AND EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE OF ITS PROJECT TITLED "FILLING ASSISTANCE GAPS IN BASIC REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR REFUGEES FROM SYRIA WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR PEERS IN HOST COMMUNITIES IN LEBANON" (7TH YEAR SEPTEMBER 30TH 2023 - SEPTEMBER 29, 2024; 8TH YEAR SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 - FEBRUARY 26TH, 2025) IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION (BPRM) AS A GIFT OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. THIS PROJECT SUCCEEDS DESPITE THE ESCALATING SECURITY AND MILITARY OPERATIONS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS, MAINLY BEIRUT SUBURBS, SOUTH LEBANON AND THE BEKAA. EVEN WITH THE CHALLENGES POSED BY SECURITY THREATS, ONGOING CONFLICT, CURRENCY DEVALUATION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC INSTABILITY, AND POLITICAL CRISES IN LEBANON, WRF SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDED PERSON-FOCUSED LIFESAVING AND LIVELIHOOD-ENHANCING ASSISTANCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FOCUS HAD BEEN ON REACHING THE MOST VULNERABLE AND THE HARD-TO-REACH, ENSURING THAT THOSE IN GREATEST NEED RECEIVED THE VITAL SUPPORT THEY REQUIRE. IMPACTS: WRF WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE PERSON-SPECIFIC AND PERSONALISED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO 2,885 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PWDS) AND PERSONS WITH TEMPORARY FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS (PTFL) IN NEED ALL OVER LEBANON AND SUPPORT ARCHITECTURAL ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS FOR 20 COMMUNITY SERVICES ENTITIES TO REDUCE PHYSICAL BARRIERS TO SAFE ACCESSIBILITY TO PWDS. WRF- LEBANON CONDUCTED COMMUNITY-FOCUSED AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY (CFAA) INTERVENTIONS ON DISABILITY, REHABILITATION, AND INCLUSION. ADDITIONALLY, FRONT-LINE WRF STAFF, ENGAGED PROJECT BENEFICIARIES AND THEIR CAREGIVERS IN NEED WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ADVICE, SELF-CARE AND HOME CARE ADVICE, HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION ADVICE, AND AS NEEDED FOLLOW-UP. WRF-LEBANON ALSO ASSISTED BENEFICIARIES IN NEED, THROUGH ITS REFERRAL SYSTEM, BY CONNECTING THEM WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL NGOS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COUNTRY. ASSISTANCE SERVICES INCLUDED: - FITTED PROSTHETIC AND/OR ORTHOTIC DEVICES, AND MOBILITY AIDS. - REHABILITATION AIDS, SELF-CARE SUPPLIES & REHABILITATION SUPPLIES - PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, PSYCHO-MOTOR, AND RESPIRATORY THERAPIES - FITTED HEARING AIDS, PARENTAL GUIDANCE, AND INITIATION TO SPEECH THERAPY. - PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES AND VISUAL AIDS. (WHITE CANES AND MAGNIFIERS) - BASIC BARRIER FREE ALTERATIONS AND CAR MODIFICATIONS. - SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND REFERRAL ADVICE. IMPACT AND REACH: THE PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR SERVED 2,885 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. ASSISTED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDED (53.9%) 1,545 REFUGEES FROM SYRIA AND (46.1%) 1,340 LEBANESE FROM HOST COMMUNITIES. 1,359 (46.79%) OF THESE BENEFICIARIES WERE BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE. THE BENEFICIARIES WERE PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: - 1,488 VISION CORRECTION AIDS, MAINLY EYEGLASSES. - 712 REHABILITATION AIDS AND SELF/HOME-CARE SUPPLIES. - 322 PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, PSYCHO-MOTOR, AND RESPIRATORY THERAPY. - 182 HEARING AIDS. - 39 PROSTHETIC DEVICES AND 130 ORTHOTIC DEVICES. - 76 SPECIAL REHABILITATION DEVICES - 13 ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS (BASIC BARRIER-FREE HOME AND AUTOMOBILE ADAPTATIONS). IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SEVERAL BENEFICIARIES WERE PROVIDED WITH MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF SERVICE. THIS PROJECT ALSO ENABLED WRF TO: - SUPPORT IN STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING SIX COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION (CBR) SERVICES PROGRAMS IN 5 DIFFERENT AREAS. - PROVIDE PARTNER NATIVE ENTITIES WITH CAPACITY BUILDING, COACHING, AND MENTORING. - EXERCISE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES. - CONTRIBUTE TO NATION-WIDE COORDINATION EFFORTS. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF PRM FUNDED PROJECTS (SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2017 - FEBRUARY 26, 2025) WRF-LEBANON HAVE SERVED MORE THAN 33,000 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES - AS DIRECT BENEFICIARIES. THE AID SERVICES WERE VALUABLE IN DECREASING BURDEN, UPGRADING FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES, ENHANCING LIVELIHOODS, STRENGTHENING PROTECTION AND SAFETY, NURTURING WELLBEING, AND ENHANCING INCLUSION. WRF MAINTAINED ITS PROACTIVE ROLE IN ADVOCACY, AWARENESS, EXPANDING UNDERSTANDING, AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION ALL IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL AND NATIVE ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PWDS) AND INITIATING AND SUPPORTING INITIATIVES AND INTERVENTIONS AIMING AT PREVENTION OF DISABILITIES. THIS INCLUDED: - CONTINUATION OF PROACTIVE COORDINATION WITH CONCERNED UNITED NATIONS (UN) ENTITIES (THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR), UN OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (UN-OCHA), INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (INGOS) ACTIVE IN LEBANON, NATIVE NATION-WIDE AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBO'S), ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH CENTERS, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON. - ADVOCACY ROLE: THROUGH ITS ADVOCACY ROLE, WRF PROMOTES REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION FOR PWDS AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FACILITATING DISCUSSIONS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL REGARDING DISABILITY RIGHTS. - CONTINUE THE DISTRIBUTION OF AWARENESS MATERIALS PRODUCED BY UN ENTITIES, GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON, INGOS, CSOS AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ABOUT HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE. PROGRAM REPORTING: WRF MAINTAINED ALL LEGAL REPORTING OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON. SHORT TERM PROJECTS THIS YEAR, WRF IN COLLABORATION WITH PROSTHETIKA HAVE UNDERTAKEN TWO PROSTHETICS/ORTHOTICS PROJECTS IN GUYANA AND ECUADOR. THESE TRAINING CONSISTS IN FURTHER TRAINING THE THERAPIST'S AND PROSTHETIST'S CLINICIANS, INTRODUCING UPDATED MODERN PROSTHESES TECHNOLOGIES, AND SERVICING THE LOCAL DISABLED INDIGENT. GUYANA WRF COLLABORATION WITH PROSTHETIKA OF CALIFORNIA PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO THE PTOLEMY REID REHABILITATION CENTER (PRRC) WHICH IS THE ONLY REHABILITATION CENTER IN GUYANA, A COUNTRY WITH PRESENTLY OVER 835,986 POPULATION. THIS REPRESENTS THE SIXTH TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PRRC STAFF. THIS SESSION TOOK PLACE IN FEBRUARY 2025 AND FOCUSED ON TREATING INDIVIDUALS WITH UPPER AND LOWER LIMB AMPUTATIONS.