You might have heard in the news that 50 % of the population in Lebanon will live below the poverty line in 2020. But is true?


Thing is, we’re not sure. As business journalists in Lebanon, one of the first things you learn is that statistics are scarce and very often unreliable.

A recent report by the World Bank states that the current crisis could put 45 % of the Lebanese population (1.7 million people) under the poverty line, where they have to make daily compromises between food, rent, and health. And the crisis could put 22 % of the population (850,000 people) under the extreme poverty line, where they struggle to eat.

Thing is, the EU has other figures, the Ministry of Social Affairs too. But that’s not what matters.

What matters is context, and in that case context is (among other things) the increase in the level of poverty: back in 2018, the same World Bank estimated that about a third of the Lebanese people lived in poverty. And back in 2011-2012, this figure was at 27%.
Which means that in less than ten years, the level of poverty has roughly doubled in Lebanon. And that’s huge.

Today more than ever, NGOs need you. If you want to help you can volunteer, donate money , or raise awareness about their good work.

If you don’t know where to start, here is a list of NGOs that target people in need.