Funded by the Government of South Korea, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) implemented the project “Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Refugee Communities through Cash-for-Work in Anjar” in 2019 and 2020, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Agriculture, two partner NGOs, Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI), and the Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC), as well as the Municipality of Anjar.

This project holds a special significance, given the unique nature of Anjar. The town is built on a wetland, surrounded by forests and is highly susceptible to forest fire. Agricultural fields in Anjar are situated near a river, and a small wet land lies adjacent to them, making them vulnerable to floods. Additionally, being near the frontier with Syria, Anjar and the surrounding towns host a large community of Syrian refugees.

Hrair and his colleagues have always dreamed of their town to serve as “a green role model”. They believe that creating a better environment for the wildlife, birds and local communities in the town is essential to a bright future with a sustainable livelihood system. His vision was to increase the forest surface by planting native trees and aromatic plants while managing the existing forest sites to reduce the risk of forest fires in the uplands. Hrair and his colleagues remain committed to maintaining the riverbed and the riparian forest, to reduce the risk of floods while preserving the habitat of indigenous species, including the native otter.