Operational Updates
- In November, WFP implemented the results of its annual retargeting exercise to ensure the most vulnerable Syrian refugees continue to be targeted for cash assistance. WFP will continue to target 695,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees identified as living below the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) of USD 87 per person per month. Among this target population, 295,000 refugees are now targeted with food e-cards (USD 27 per person per month, redeemable through a network of almost 500 WFP contracted shops); 220,000 refugees are now targeted with cash for food e-cards (USD 27 per person redeemable at either WFP contracted shops or any ATM throughout the country); and 180,000 refugees continue to be targeted with multi-purpose cash for essential needs e-cards (USD 27 per person for food and USD 175 per household for additional food and other essential needs, redeemable at any ATM throughout the country). Households newly included in WFP assistance and those excluded due to the exercise’s vulnerability criteria were notified of these changes via SMS in September.
- The retargeting exercise also integrated a grievance redress mechanism (GRM), providing refugees with a formal feedback channel to lodge complaints to WFP and to streamline assessment of these grievance profiles for possible inclusion in to WFP assistance. Grievances received via WFP’s and UNHCR’s joint hotline by the end of November will be assessed by WFP and UNHCR throughout December and early 2019, based on socioeconomic and protection vulnerabilities. A select set of refugees will be eligible for inclusion in the first quarter of 2019.
- The second-round of the 2018 forestry projects began, as a part of the 2018 livelihoods programme. In the first round of planting, WFP livelihoods participants planted 114,000 native cedars and pines across Lebanon. Forestry activities include cleaning trails, fire prevention, pruning, mulching, and other forest management activities, as well as enhancing ecotourism sites.