Perceptions and experiences of community workers and Syrian refugees towards community kitchens in Lebanon : a qualitative study -

Abstract

Background: The Syria crisis and the huge influx of refugees to Lebanon since 2011 have greatly impacted the food and nutrition security status of both the Syrian Refugees (SRs) and the Lebanese host communities. Community Kitchens (CKs) represent one of the humanitarian interventions that were employed in Lebanon in order to respond to the needs of vulnerable Lebanese populations and SRs. CKs are defined as kitchens in which small groups of people meet regularly to prepare one or more meals together. Within the development literature, CKs have not been extensively studied and evaluated especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that explore CKs as a food aid modality within a protracted refugee crisis context and very few examine whether it can be a powerful tool for contributing to the development of rural communities taking into consideration the women’s perspective. Study aim and objectives: This study aims to explore the CKs as a model for food assistance in a protracted crisis context and as an initiative for local development of rural communities in Lebanon. The objectives of the study were to: 1-examine the perceptions, experiences and attitudes of SRs and women working in CKs in four regions of Lebanon (Minyara, Zahle, Tripoli, and Khiara); 2-highlight the role of gender in configuring those experiences, perceptions, and attitudes for both groups; and 3-explore the role of these kitchens in empowering women in rural and impoverished communities of Lebanon. A Qualitative Descriptive (QD) approach was adopted to fulfill the purpose of the study and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted to collect data from SRs and Community Workers (CWs) in the four kitchens. Results: A total of eight FGDs were conducted: four focus groups with CWs and four focus groups with SRs. A total of 16 themes emerged from these discussions, nine of which were depicted from FGDs with CWs and seven from focus groups with SRs. Major th