Rebuilding livelihoods, supporting recovery, strengthening communities: Women at the heart of Tyre’s Collective Kitchen

In the coastal city of Tyre, women and men displaced from communities across the governorate contributed to recovery through agriculture, food preparation, logistics, protection and community support. At the heart of their efforts there was a collective kitchen was a collective kitchen that, over three months, prepared more than 382,000 hot meals for families living across 11 collective shelters. Together, they demonstrated how emergency livelihood opportunities can strengthen humanitarian response while providing conflict-affected women and men with income, practical skills and renewed hope for leading their communities towards recovery.

The Collective Kitchen is part of a cash-for-work programme under UN Women's Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection in Crisis (LEAP) project, implemented in partnership with INITIATE and the Union of Tyre Municipalities, with support from the Government of Australia. Through the project, UN Women supports crisis-affected women and girls with emergency livelihood opportunities, skills development and protection services tailored to their needs.

_{Women prepare and portion hot meals at Tyre’s Collective Kitchen for families living across collective shelters in the city. Photo: INITIATE, May 2026.}

For many women, the collective kitchen represents more than temporary employment and an income. It is a place to regain confidence, develop new skills and reconnect with their families while navigating the uncertainty of displacement and recovery. 

For Lavida, 41, preparing meals for displaced families provided both an income and a sense of purpose. The experience also helped her develop new skills while contributing directly to her community. “When we believe in ourselves, difficulties become only stations on the road to success,” she says.

The work of Lavida unfolds amid one of Lebanon's largest displacement crises. Repeated escalation of hostilities since October 2023 have forced families to flee multiple times, separating them from their homes, livelihoods and land. The escalation that began in March 2026 displaced more than 1.2 million people in under three weeks. Returns have since gathered pace, but over 350,000 individuals remain displaced, as of mid-August 2026; among them, 22,300 continue to live in 247 collective shelters across Lebanon.  More than 53 per cent of them are women and girls. 

_{Women work side by side to cook and package meals at Tyre’s Collective Kitchen as part of the humanitarian response supporting displaced families. Photo: INITIATE, May 2026.}

For Samaher, 45, joining the initiative was initially driven by the need to support her family during difficult economic circumstances. The experience soon became an opportunity for personal growth. “Through challenges, we grow, and with determination, we make our path towards the future we dream of,” she says.

For Hawraa, 28, working alongside other women offered something equally valuable:  renewed social connection and psychological support, “every difficult step today is the beginning of success,” she says.

Similarly, Hanan, 53, describes the kitchen as a space where she developed her skills, increased her confidence and found encouragement. “Hope is not measured by our circumstances, but by our determination to continue despite them,” she says.

The collective kitchen is part of a broader integrated response. Produce harvested through cash-for-work agriculture activities supplies the kitchen. By linking agriculture, food preparation and humanitarian response, the initiative created a connected chain of support that reaches communities through multiple, interconnected roles. 

Behind every meal is also a dedicated logistics team responsible for transporting supplies, organizing food parcels and ensuring assistance reaches families effectively. Their work complements the efforts of the women in the kitchen, allowing the response to operate seamlessly, from preparation to distribution. 

_{Women and men organize and pack prepared meals for delivery to displaced families across collective shelters in Tyre. Photo: INITIATE, May 2026.}

Sleiman, 40, works with the logistics team. “Through work, we build our dignity, and with hope, we build our future despite all challenges,” he says.

Eyad, 48, and Mohammad, 23, also describe the work as an opportunity to support their community while strengthening solidarity. “Through cooperation, communities are built,” they say.