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"A volunteer opportunity has not only changed the life of a young nurse who grew up in Naperville but it’s impacting hundreds of Syrian refugees. Earlier this month Allison Randles Moss returned to Lebanon, leaving her position as an orthopedic nurse at the Cleveland Clinic to offer health education through a nonprofit she has helped establish.The Health Impact was created in response to the dire situation of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. For years families have been living in temporary settlements. The long-term poverty, exposure to weather and lack of education have taken a toll on their health.After graduating from Naperville Central High School in 2015, Randles Moss went to Ohio State University. “I first went to Lebanon in the fall of 2019,” she said. “I was finishing my nursing degree but the last year was online so I could go anywhere. I found a nonprofit who provided health education for children and adults.”Randles Moss spent five months working with refugees in one of the local settlements. She and her team held classes, discovering just how great the need was.Allison Randles Moss“It can be difficult to start a nonprofit but there is a lot of need, so we found our own niche,” she said. “Medical care is difficult to access plus it’s expensive, so people there are put off.”Health problems range from how to treat simple childhood cuts to lack of cancer screenings. Things that we take for granted in the U.S. are far more difficult to access for those living in small tent communities.Randles Moss said that because Lebanon allows permanent refugee camps, some people have lived there for 10 years. The refugee camp is just 40 minutes from Damascus.“Life is difficult for them,” she said. “It snows in the winter and can be very hot in the summer. We had a lot come at the height of the fighting. A lot of them didn’t have all the resources they needed to leave. It was a very challenging journey, they only had the things they could carry.”One of the other challenges is Lebanon doesn’t have the means to find them permanent homes.“Syria is still not safe and there is no active support,” Randles Moss said. “A lot of people are waiting until Syria becomes safe, but some are now applying to go to Europe, the U.S. or Canada. Only one percent are resettled each year.”As the refugees have been there for some time, the situation is no longer considered an emergency. Despite that, they are still prone to seasonal viruses and general health issues.“I met a woman who had felt a lump in her breast but not done anything about it so it was too late for advanced treatment,” Randles Moss said. “It can be financially impossible for them. Lebanon is in economic turmoil.”Refugee camps like this one in Lebanon have been home for 10 years to Syrian refugees who desperately need a lot of things, including health care, says Allison Randles Moss, a Naperville native who has started a nonprofit to offer health education.Although she’s only 24, Randles Moss says she’s never felt unsafe in her work abroad.“Lebanon is a safe country,” she said. “I’ve never felt insecure because of all the safety measures in place.”As well as offering health education, she also wants to raise awareness about the plight of the refugees.“Most of them want to be working or in school,” she said. “It affects all kinds of people, from shopkeepers to farm workers, construction workers, workers of all kinds. People lost all their savings; ten years without any access to anything. It’s a lost generation. I often think they just want to go somewhere nicer, but these people are trying to be useful members of society again.”Randles Moss says the refugees are thankful for any kind of help.“The last two years have been more complicated and serious after the blasts in Beirut, so they are grateful for any assistance,” she said. “Education helps them to do things for themselves.”If you’re inspired by Randle Moss’s story, there are several ways you can get involved. Health Impact is looking for more volunteers to work with refugees in Lebanon from now until December. Donations are always welcome, plus they’ll offer materials to help with fundraisers.For more information, go to http://thehealthimpact.org.Hilary Decent is a freelance journalist who moved to Naperville from England in 2007.hilarydecent@gmail.com"
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