January 20th, 2017, a delegation from UNICEF Thailand and Lebanon, along with a Thai TV crew, paid a visit to the informal settlement (IS) of Howsh Rafiqa in Baalbeck–Hermel region. The purpose of this visit, which was organized by the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST), was to check on the living conditions of the Syrian refugees before and after the Syrian Crisis, as well as the settlement’s conditions, and the availability of healthy and safe environmental standards for the Syrian refugees.
The delegation was composed of 8 members, added to the Thai TV crew. They were given a briefing about the projects that UNICEF and LOST are working on (youth, WASH, health, etc.). Following that, the delegation took a tour around the informal settlement, and checked for the availability of clean water, the tent conditions, as well as the settlement’s general needs. They were also interested in interviewing five families who resided in the camp, to ask about their lifestyle and living conditions. Education, among many other topics, was the center of discussion which took place between the delegation and the refugees.
For the Thai delegation, this visit shed light on the needs, hopes, and dreams of Syrian refugees who are living in dire circumstances. They left with a promise and complete willingness to support the vulnerable refugees in all possible ways.
