Halimeh,
a Palestinian, suffered prolonged hardships in a camp during the
Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). "I quickly realised there wasn't enough
food or basic services for us, so five of us decided to start a
committee to teach hygiene in the camps and deliver food and basic aid."
The group has grown rapidly since then. PARD now receives financial
support from several international NGO's, including Norwegian People's
Aid, Novib from the Netherlands, Oxfam Canada, Solidaridad
International in Spain and the Karim Rida Said Foundation in Britain.
The need for support to the refugees has become increasingly well
recognised among concerned groups. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon do
not have social or civil rights, and only limited access to public
health and educational services. Considered foreigners, Palestinian
refugees are prohibited by law from working in at least 70 trades and
professions.
This has led to a very high rate of unemployment amongst the refugee
population. A Palestinian refugee in Lebanon still needs a work permit,
valid for a maximum of two years.
The
refugees are now the poorest section of Lebanese society, and are the
poorest group of Palestinian refugees in any Arab country. The Israeli
government refuses to repatriate them. Some refugees have been in
Lebanon since 1948, the year the state of Israel was created in
Palestine.
PARD has found itself campaigning for rights, besides providing
services. "We do advocacy work for labour and civil rights of people
because Palestinians cannot work here," said Halimeh.
But PARD focuses on solutions, rather than the obstacles.
The NGO has developed several clinics in Beirut, as well as two in
southern Lebanon. It now owns a mobile clinic. During the war last
summer this was among the first of medical services that victims in the
south could access.
PARD also runs a transportation service to carry children to schools administered by UNRWA.
But despite its efforts towards education, healthcare and community
building, PARD is unable to integrate Palestinian children into
Lebanese society, since law prohibits Palestinians from using services
meant for Lebanese civilians.
PARD
has nevertheless made a great difference to the life of many
Palestinians. "I like this administration because it treats us and the
patients better than anyone I've seen," said laboratory technician Ata
al-Hassan inside the general clinic at the Shatila refugee camp, where
the PARD head office is located.
"Earlier I worked in one of Beirut's main hospitals, but I was never
allowed to use my full training," Imam Dirbass, a midwife who has been
working with PARD for 11 years told IPS. "We do everything for the
women here before sending them to a general hospital for their
delivery."
PARD clinics also provide ophthalmology services, paediatric care, first aid and education classes.
"UNRWA told me they could not help me and suggested I come here,"
Suthir Assad at the main clinic told IPS. "My 18-year-old son needs
operations, so I'm hoping that these people can assist us somehow."
Writings 
"We give services because services are better than money," Ahmad Halimeh, co-founder of PARD told IPS at one of the group's busy clinics in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. "I try to teach people to help themselves."
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