Project combines educational support, psychological care and social activities.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 19, 2025) Salesian missionaries have been able to provide emergency assistance for people impacted by the war in Lebanon* thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The “Emergency assistance for Fidar and Hossoun communities and refugees in Beirut” project is ensuring that families living in these communities have the basic essentials and the psychological support they need.
With donor funding, Salesians were able to provide medical assistance, psychosocial support, food supplies, fuel vouchers and warm clothes. Families were chosen from those involved with local Salesian centers and schools, including Don Bosco Technique, Don Bosco Hossoun oratories, and Angels of Peace School.
A Salesian noted, “Through coordinated efforts, our team provided immediate relief and laid the foundation for resilience and hope during an incredibly challenging period. Moreover, the project had a comprehensive and profound impact, as it combined educational support, psychological care and social activities to address the multifaceted needs of the various communities served by the Salesians.”
The displacement crisis in Lebanon has exceeded the levels seen during the 2006 war, driven by intense Israeli airstrikes and civilian evacuation orders. In October 2024, national authorities estimated that over 1.2 million people had been displaced. The escalation has primarily affected southern Lebanon and Beirut’s densely populated southern suburbs.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), at the start of January 2025, 868,947 people were displaced within Lebanon but most have returned back, leaving 115,439 people still displaced. Many of these individuals have been displaced multiple times since October 2023. The war also triggered an economic impact with a noticeable shortage of goods that has only worsened over time.
Lebanon is also dealing with more than 1.5 million refugees who have fled the Syrian civil war, according to UNHCR. Salesian missionaries have been working in Lebanon since 1952 and currently have two centers. The center in Fidar has Don Bosco Technique and a youth center. The Salesian community in Hossoun has an oratory and a reception house that has been housing Catholic refugees since the start of the war in Syria.
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
###
About Salesian Missions USA
Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.