As families flee violence in Lebanon, youth bring warmth to children in shelters

As violence escalates across Lebanon again, thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes since the 2^nd of March, many arriving at shelters with little more than the clothes they were wearing. For children, spending cold nights in unfamiliar places, even a blanket or a warm sweater can make a difference.

Across the country, young people are stepping up once again to help.

To support families displaced by the latest escalation, UNICEF, through funding from the German Government through KfW Development Bank, started distributing winter clothing kits and sleeping bags to children and families living in collective shelters. Those kits were previously produced by youth under a previous programme funded by German Government through KfW Development Bank and were mobilized at the onset of the conflict.

Within the first 24 hours of the emergency, 2,380 winter clothing kits and 825 sleeping bags and blankets were distributed to families sheltering in 10 public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools, currently hosting more than 4,800 internally displaced people. 

Behind these essential supplies is a powerful story of youth turning skills into solidarity.

Through UNICEF’s Learning to Earning programme, young people across Lebanon are gaining practical skills while contributing directly to the emergency response. The initiative combines competency-based training in sewing and production with Cash-for-Work opportunities, enabling youth to earn an income while producing items that support families affected by the crisis.

Currently, 50 youth are continuing the production of up to 5,350 blankets and sleeping bags, helping expand support to more families as displacement continues to rise;

transforming training into meaningful work that directly supports displaced families.

For many of the young people involved, the work carries deep emotional meaning.

“When we hear about families forced to leave their homes and children sleeping in shelters, we feel we have to do something,” said Shaaban, one of the youths participating in the production of the kits.

“Every sweater or blanket we make is our way of telling those children: you are not alone.”

For Nada, another participant, the programme has also restored a sense of purpose.

“For the first time, I feel I have a role in society. I can help; I can work, produce, and support myself financially,” she said. 

This intervention is part of UNICEF’s broader Learning to Earning programme, funded by the German Government through KfW Development Bank, which strengthens employability among vulnerable youth while also supporting communities affected by Lebanon’s ongoing crisis.

At a time when many families are facing loss and uncertainty, young people across Lebanon are showing that solidarity, compassion and action can still bring warmth and hope to those who need it most.