1. Wide shot, Al Fakiha village
2. Med shot, refugees walking carrying mattresses
3. Wide shot, refugees carrying aid
4. Med shot, seated refugees by boxes of aid
5. Med shot, refugee men talking
6. Wide shot, refugees gathering
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed, Syrian refugee:
“I came from Homs, when I arrived I registered with UNHCR. The first month they gave us $100 coupons for fuel, the second time I also got jerry cans for fuel. This month we got mattresses, food coupons and hygiene kits.”
8. Med shot, UNHCR sign through window
9. Wide shot, Danish Refugee Council staff attending to refugees
10. Close up, refugee man showing papers
11. Wide shot, woman walking with box
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Slama, Syrian refugee:
“We came here six months ago to escape the situation back home, things are not good back there. We registered with UNHCR and they gave us food, blankets. With the coupons, I buy sugar, rice, chicken, lentils, bread, and tea. I buy these things for the house.”
13. Med shot, child standing by boxes
14. Close up, refugee boy
15. Wide shot, man collects mattresses and walks outside
16. Wide shot, refugees leave warehouse with boxes
17. Wide shot, refugee men loading mattress onto back of truck
18. Close up, refugee man fixes mattress onto back of truck
19. Wide shot, truck driving off into distance

View moreView less

Storyline

Two years on, the conflict in Syria rages on, pushing thousands of Syrians into neighbouring countries.

January saw the highest number of refugees entering Lebanon; over 38,000 registrations took place across the country.

In Lebanon there are no camps. Refugees move into villages like in the Bekaa Valley.

The local people are welcoming. But as the influx grows, so do the needs.

This man, whose identity we are protecting, fled the fighting in Homs after his house was bombed.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed, Syrian refugee:
“I came from Homs, when I arrived I registered with UNHCR. The first month they gave us $100 coupons for fuel, the second time I also got jerry cans for fuel. This month we got mattresses, food coupons and hygiene kits.”

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR and its partner the Danish Refugee Council provide monthly aid packages to the refugees.

The World Food Programme (WFP) hands out food vouchers so refugees can buy food in the local markets.

This mother and her six children from Homs live with a host family in Al Fakiha.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Salma, Syrian refugee:
“We came here six months ago to escape the situation back home. We registered with UNHCR and they gave us food, blankets. With the coupons, I buy sugar, rice, tea, lentils and bread.”

Many families rely on this assistance. They arrive in Lebanon with no money or quickly use up their savings.

Alongside these distributions, UNHCR is running a pilot project, giving families access to about 240 US a month through ATM cards.

If successful the project will be expanded, helping both the refugees and their hosts.