HEALING LEBANON’S CHILDREN “INVISIBLE WOUNDS” THROUGH ART

Toronto, October 10, 2026 – The arts-based mental health and psychosocial support programme has been launched in Lebanon to help children and youth process the ‘invisible’ psychological injuries they have suffered through eight months of war, said Save the Children.

Save the Children’s Healing and Education Through the Arts (HEART) programme supports children to process and communicate feelings of anxiety and fear, as well as traumatic experiences, in a supportive and healing environment. The programme – designed for children and youth aged 3 to 25, as well as parents and carers – uses expressive arts such as drawing, painting, music, drama, poetry, and creative writing to help children understand, communicate and manage their feelings.

Eight months into the Israeli military escalation in Lebanon, children continue to pay a growing and yet invisible psychological toll, said Save the Children. According to the agency’s child protection, mental health and psychosocial support staff, signs of distress – including nightmares, withdrawing from friends and family, aggressive behavior, and feelings of hopelessness – continue to be worryingly present among children and young people [1].

A loss of a sense of safety has also become one of the most prominent impacts of this war on children, with these “invisible wounds” having potential long-term impacts on children’s wellbeing, learning, and development.

Serena*, a 17-year-old girl from South Lebanon, told Save the Children of the profound psychological impact the war had left on her, saying: “The war had a major impact on my mental health and wellbeing. It even prevented me from playing basketball for a period of time because there was no safe court available. Sports were the one thing that helped me release stress and feel at ease.”

Dina*, a 50-year- old, a displaced mother from Southern Lebanon, said: “Everything has definitely changed for the children. I feel like they’re not the same emotionally as they were before. They no longer feel safe, even in the simplest situations. They get anxious and upset over the smallest things”.

While participating in the HEART programme, children spoke to Save the Children staff about the mentally stressful situations they are facing in their everyday life. A child in Southern Lebanon recalled watching their village being bombarded from the window of their classroom, while another spoke of losing friends and relatives during the conflict. These experiences are part of a wider reality faced by many children in affected areas, where exposure to violence, loss, and displacement continues to weigh heavily on their mental health and outlook on the future, said Save the Children.

The programme’s data indicates that psychosocial support interventions greatly help participants to cope with adversity and restore their wellbeing, with 85% of participants reporting improvements in at least one area of social and emotional learning. Nearly all (99%) of the children who participated in arts-based activities improved their wellbeing score from pre- to post-intervention.

Nora Ingdal, Save the Childen’s Country Director in Lebanon said:
“We cannot wait for the war to end before addressing its psychological impact on children. The fear, anxiety, nightmares, withdrawal, isolation, aggressive behavior, and growing sense of hopelessness we see today are not merely side effects of the war; they are part of the harm children endure daily. These wounds may be invisible to the naked eye, yet they can profoundly affect a child’s ability to learn, build relationships, feel safe, and continue growing in a healthy way.”

“At the same time, this mental health crisis cannot be discussed in isolation from its causes. Israeli military attacks—and the resulting kills, injuries, displacement, destruction of homes, loss of loved ones, and disruption of education and daily life—have directly undermined children’s sense of safety and stability. Protecting children requires not only providing support after harm has occurred but also halting the actions that continue to expose them to fear, loss, and displacement.”

The HEART programme is part of the broader psychosocial support work Save the Children is running in Lebanon for children affected by conflict, displacement, and hardship. These programmes focused on protecting and promoting children’s resilience and hopes for the future, as it is supporting children with their emotional struggles.

Save the Children has worked in Lebanon since 1953. In collaboration with partners and local authorities, we are distributing essential items in hard-to-reach areas in the south, provide psychosocial support for children, educate families and children about the risks of unexploded ordnance, ensure access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and distribute essential items for those displaced.

Editors note:
[1] These are observations that were collected form the Save the Children programs and interventions by the mental health and psychosocial support team.
*Names changed to protect identity