The violence with which storm Norma hit Lebanon and devastated refugee communities has helped some smaller NGOs drive successful fundraising campaigns, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for relief operations. However, those NGOs caution that the success of these recent campaigns belie the fact that every year providing emergency relief in Lebanon gets ever harder.
At the beginning of last week Smile and Olive Foundation U.K., the U.K.-based chapter of Lebanese NGO Basmeh & Zeitouneh, started a campaign on international online fundraising platform JustGiving to raise relief funds for refugees suffering from the dramatic effects of storm Norma.
The organization initially aimed to raise 20,000 pounds ($25,700), and by Tuesday had accommodated 200 refugees, and provided hot meals for each of them, and 270 blankets. That goal was easily reached, Smile and Olive co-founder and chief communications officer Yasmin Kayali estimated, within three to four days, and a new target of 30,000 pounds was set.
Despite the increasing difficulties smaller NGOs face, Kayali maintained that they have a vital role to play in providing emergency response operations.
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