EIN EL-HILWEH REFUGEE CAMP

Ein el-Hilweh was established near the city of Sidon in 1948/1949 by the International Committee of the Red Cross to accomodate refugees from Amqa, Saffourieh, Shaab, Taitaba, Manshieh, al-Simireh, al-Nahr, al-Sofsaf, Hitten, Ras al-Ahmar, al-Tiereh and Tarshiha in northern Palestine. UNRWA began operations in the camp in 1952, gradually replacing the tents with concrete shelters.

Many refugees at other camps within Lebanon, particularily those near Tripoli, were displaced to Ein el-Hilweh during the Civil War. Ein el-Hilweh thus became the biggest camp in Lebanon, both in terms of population and area size. The camp was especially hard hit by violence between 1982-1991, which resulted in a high number of casualities and the near total destruction of the camp.

Ein el-Hilweh's inhabitants mainly work as casual labourers in construction sites orchards and embroidery workshops or as cleaners. There is quite a high school drop-out rate as students are often forced to leave school in order to support their families.

Shelters in the camp are small and very close to each other. Some still have metal sheet roofing. UNRWA constructed a multi-storey housing complex in 1993-1994 to accommodate 118 displaced families, mainly from the Nabatieh camp, destroyed by Israel in 1973. A number of displaced refugees continue to live on the edge of the camp in extremely poor conditions.

Registered Refugees:

• Total number: 47,614
• Average family size: 3.76

UNRWA Education Programme

• Schools: Seven elementary/preparatory schools, one secondary school opened in 1997.
• Pupils: 5662

UNRWA Relief and Social Services Programme

• Social Safety Net (SSN) Programme beneficiaries: 9128 individuals
• Sponsors students with disabilities to attend specialized institutions; students with motor disabilities and visual impairments are streamlined in UNRWA schools.
• Provides children with disabilities psycho-therapy and covers rehabilitation services such as prosthetic and corrective devices.
• Maintains and early intervention unit
• Offers speech therapy services
• Gives access to loans
• Modifies the shelters of students with disabilities mainstreamed in UNRWA schools.

UNRWA Health Programme

• Health centres: 2, in addition to a radiology unit that serves the Sidon area.
• Number of medical staff: 6 doctors, regularly visited by specialists in gynecology, cardiology and ophthalmology
• Number of patient consultations per month: 5874
•  

Community Services

• A community managed women's programme centre runs skill-training courses and apprenticeships. The centre organizes awareness sessions on health, social, legal, human rights and gender issues and coordinates with local NGOs to respond to community needs.

• A number of local NGOs provide services in the camp. They provide literacy courses, vocational training, rehabilitation for refugees with disabilities, summer camps, medical services and kindergartens.