INTRODUCTION
Since 2020 women and men in the Greater Ballinasloe area, and friends and family members further afield, have contributed financially every November and December to ease the suffering of families in the Syrian Refugee Camps in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, families impacted by the terrible earthquake in Syria and Turkey on 6th February 2023, and families caught up in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza which began on 7th October 2023.
Between November 2020 and January 2024 €51,562.00 has been raised and forwarded to Trócaire, who in turn have forwarded this money to their partner agencies in Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Gaza.
The fundraising committee that support this initiative have learned, through reports received from Trócaire (see below), that all monies passed on, and much more, has been used to provide very basic humanitarian aid.
As we begin again, we thank all who contributed in previous years.
Sadly, those we have helped remain in precarious situations.
Were 500 individuals or families to donate €20.00 each, we will reach our target of €10,000, and once again support c. 250 families, at what is for them, an extraordinarily difficult time.
We hope too that our collective contribution will be a source of encouragement to all who are suffering, and strengthen their resolve to work through the various tragedies that currently enfold them through no fault of their own.
DONATION OPTIONS
- Debit or credit card payment(see below).
A receipt will be forwarded to each donor via email (if email address is provided). Please allow a day or two for this to come through. - Lodge to ‘Syrian Refugee Appeal A/c’ Account No. 31997, Ballinasloe Credit Union.
- Give your donation to a member of this year’s Fundraising Committee (see below).
2024 FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The names and contact details of this year’s committee are:
Tom Corbett,
(Chairperson),
Ballinasloe
087 2211989.
Damien Farrell,
Laurencetown
085 7214619.
Josephine Mulryan,
St. Michael’s Church & Creagh
087 7883264.
Siveen Bradley
St. Michael’s Church & Ballinasloe Town
086 0805078.
Ann Corbett
Shannonbridge
087 9360019
Mary B. Killeen
Eyrecourt
086 1052022
John Weldon
Fohenagh & Ahascragh.
087 9068032.
Padraic Kilduff
Moore-Clonfad
086 1608451
Justin Harkin
Cleaghmore & Derrymullen
087 6171526
Sean Kelly (Treasurer)
Clontuskert & Aughrim
086 1647970
Each of us is grateful for the support of a broader network of family members and friends.
PRAYER SERVICE
A holy hour for all who are suffering in Gaza, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon will take place in St. Michael’s Church, Ballinasloe, from 6.30 to 7.30 pm on Sunday 11th January. This will be accessible online @
www.churchservices.tv/ballinasloe .
This event will also mark the end of this year’s fundraising initiative.
COMMITTEE’S REPORTING COMMITMENT
We will communicate on a weekly basis via this web page the total amount received.
All monies received will be forwarded to Trócaire who in turn will pass on to partner agencies in above countries and regions.
Total raised thus far (since 11th Nov.): €0,270.00 *
* This figure combines donations given to committee members and electronic payments.
Acknowledgement
We wish to express thanks to St. Grellan’s (Ballinasloe & District) Council of The Knights of St. Columbanus for the administrative and secretarial support they are providing this initiative. We are particularly grateful for their willingness to lend their charitable status to this intiative, making Credit and Debit Card and PayPal contributions possible.
TRÓCAIRE REPORT REGARDING 2023 DONATIONS
Each year we request a report from Trócaire regarding monies forwarded. Here is the report received regarding the €17,850 raised and forwarded between Nov 2023 and January 2024.
PREVIOUS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS
2020 & 2021 Reports
According to the UNHCR, as of 31/10/ 2019, the total number of registered refugees in Syrian Refugee Camps in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley stood at 342,875 individuals / 76,358 families (3.5 times the population of Galway city and 21 times the population of Athlone).
During November / December 2020 and 2021 our collective efforts raised €12,392.00.
Our donations were passed on to Sawa for Development and Aid (SAWA / http://www.sdaid.org), a Lebanese grassroot organisation working with Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.
SAWA was founded in 2011 as a reaction to the dire need for support for Syrian refugees, and continues to work with Syrian families in the camps providing relief, education and livelihood support. They are supported by Trócaire and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
When Trócaire reported back to us, we learned that all the money we raised was needed for the most basic of supplies, e.g. winter clothing, food, reinforced plastic tarps (for tents), blankets and solar laterns.
That year our contributions led to 160 families living in the Bekaa Valley each receiving three blankets and three mattresses. Each mattress cost €13.40 and each blanket €7.60 and related delivery and administrative charges came to €2,186.00, much of it paid to refugees on the bread-line in the camps.
Our effort brought great joy … not least because it communicated to hard pressed families that they were not forgotten.
2022 Report
During November and December 2021 €15,208.00 was raised.
Trócaire kindly added an additional €34,792.00 to this amount bringing the total that was forwarded to Sawa for Development and Aid in Lebanon, to €50.000.00.
Later in 2022 Trócaire and SAWA kindly forwarded the following report on how this contribution of €50,000.00 was spent between January and April 2022.
The report reveals that between January and March 2022 inclusive:
- 385 families were supported in acquiring winter clothing
- 322 sheets of Tarpaulin were purchased and used to construct, reconstruct and repair tents
- 515 planks of wood were purchased and used to replace and repair tents damaged by storms, heavy snowfall and other inclement weather conditions.
.
Reconstruction of a tent in the Bekaa Valley in March 2022 after the weight of winter snow had damaged the previous frame and ten years wear and tear had caused the heavy plastic to leak.
The report contains many photographs, a stark reminder of the incredible vulnerability of the Syrian Refugees, some now resident in the camps for twelve years.
2020 RESEARCH FINDINGs
Prior to starting out in 2020 the initial Fundraising Committee queried and costed with Trócaire if it would be cheaper to collect blankets and clothing, dry-clean and wash same, place them in sealed bags and send via a container to the Bekaa Valley. Unfortunately transportation and import duties were prohibitive.
Now, in 2024/2025, war in the region makes such an outreach untenable.
Our research (see www.unrefugees.org/gifts/all-gift-items) also revealed that the following items could be got to Syrian Refugees in the Bekaa Valley for the following amounts:
Winter Clothing
for 3 refugees: €40.00
Solar Latern
(safe to use in tent
& double as mobile
phone chargers): €38.00
Reinforced Plastic Tarps
(to reinforce tents
against flooding & storms): €13
Warm Winter Gloves
(6 pairs): €25
ONLINE CONVERSATION WITH NIALL O’KEEFFE, TRÓCAIRE
On Wednesday 11th November 2020 Deirdre Ó Murchadha of Athlone Community Radio interviewed Niall O’Keeffe, Head of Region – Middle East & Asia, Trócaire concerning his recent visit to Syria and the Syrian Refugee Camps in the Bekaa Valley.
Our thanks to Deirdre and Athlone Community Radio for allowing us to make her interview available here.
Part 1
Part 2
LIFE IN BEKAA VALLEY
We remain eager not to misrepresent life in the Syrian Refugee camps in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, especially the dignity and resilience of the Syrian residents, and the many pragmatic life-giving initiatives supported by Trócaire, SAWA and other agencies in partnership with refugee families and volunteers. The following photographs and Trocaire 2019 Lenten video are offered in this spirit.
Thank you for reading our web page.
Further enquiries can be directed to Justin Harkin @ admin@creideamh.ie / 087 6171526