Rescue Me Lebanon is dedicated to fostering safer homes and communities by organizing educational workshops in schools, community centers, and prisons, alongside advocating for the prevention and countering of violent extremism (P/CVE). Their main focus lies in crime prevention through social development, aiming to build stronger and more connected communities. Rescue Me firmly believes that raising awareness about radicalization and extremism plays a crucial role in deterring crime and violence.

One Pulse Initiative: Healing Invisible Wounds in Beirut’s Aftermath

On August 4, 2020, Beirut experienced two large explosions, which tragically caused more than 200 deaths, 7,000 injuries and the destruction of approximately 15,000 homes and businesses. In the aftermath, it quickly became evident that the mental well-being of Beirut’s community was deteriorating rapidly. Recognizing the potential catastrophic impact of untreated psychological trauma on individuals and the entire community, Rescue Me stepped in to address the pressing mental health needs of the affected population. 

With a grant from ICAN’s Innovative Peace Fund (IPF) Rapid Response funding stream, Rescue Me’s “One Pulse Initiative” took swift action. The initiative provided essential emergency psychosocial support to begin the process of rehabilitating the community.

To raise awareness about trauma and available resources, Rescue Me utilized social media and published a series of videos. Additionally, they trained 26 social workers to offer both in-person and online trauma support for adults and children. The training covered various interventions, including addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, survivor’s guilt, suicide, depression, anger, anxiety, and fear.

In less than three months, the dedicated social workers delivered appropriate psychosocial support sessions to 250 beneficiaries, with 60 of them receiving up to six follow-up sessions. Patients reported a 34.4% reduction in their PTSD responses, indicating the effectiveness of the interventions.

Responding to the requests of concerned parents, Rescue Me extended its psycho-social intervention sessions to include children under the age of 18, even providing support to a 4-year-old girl.

Furthermore, Rescue Me’s interventions expanded to include health care workers from Wardieh hospital, recognizing their roles as frontline responders during the explosions. Subsequently, other hospitals sought out Rescue Me’s assistance and requested support for their staff members.

With the crucial support from their IPF grant, Rescue Me successfully established a rapid response team that offers 24/7 psychosocial intervention and mental health care, allowing them to respond promptly to the needs of the affected community.

The significant impact of Rescue Me over a short time period underscores the importance of psychosocial support as an essential yet often overlooked aspect of emergency response. Acknowledging and addressing the invisible psychological wounds of individuals and communities are vital steps in the process of rebuilding social structures after experiencing a traumatic event.