Aug 24, 2020 at 10:51 pm

Repairing Shattered Lives

Update posted by Imane Assaf

We have made some huge advances since our last update having now taken receipt of 2 storage areas donated by kind hearted people that want to help the people of Beirut any way they can.

At the same time we have received a steady flow of donations both here and locally, receiving many donations of food clothes, bedding, furniture and other essential items that are being sorted, itemised and redistributed amongst the communities most affected by the disaster.

Our team of volunteers continues to grow (but we need more so please spread the word) and we have implemented processes to ensure that all assessments and subsequent aid is subject to due diligence to ensure those in the most desperate situations are prioritised. The entire team are amazing and work extremely hard giving incredible amounts of their time, effort, blood, sweat and tears to try and help in any way they can.

With the support of the NGO network and the team of Lebanese Architects and Engineers, we have been surveying damage to properties and assessing the essential repairs needed to help return shattered houses back to homes. The scale of this work and the enormity of the devastation cannot be underestimated. Even now people are alone in near derelict houses trying to survive with not even the most basic amenities




Each home has to be assessed to understand the structural damage as well as the obvious doors, fixtures, fittings and windows that were destroyed during the devastating blast.

Once the assessment is complete we then engage the builders, glazers, roofers, electricians, plumbers, woodworkers and many other skilled individuals to secure, repair and rebuild these shattered homes.

Once those works are complete we then do our best to ensure each home has all of the essential needs such as clothing, food, bedding and furniture to try and return to as norma a life as possible. So far we have repaired and restored 28 homes while our current scheule has a further 50 + proporties to assess in the immediate term.



That's for the homes that can be fixed. The sheer number of families, couples and those living alone (young & old) that have lost everything they ever had in life, we do our best to re-home and restore some dignity to shattered lives. Even more heartbreaking and one thing we can never replace is those that have lost their loved ones. Quite literally everything. Obliterated in that brief moment that reaped so much destruction that it has been gouged into our hearts and minds forever.

We have rehomed so many people, some into temporary accommodation while their homes are repaired, others we have found and supported the transition to a new home. supporting them financially while we all recover from this calamity.

We all feel the mental anguish this has brought upon us, the Lebanese people endure so much and this has again shown just how strong and resilient we are. Nothing will ever take away our spirit but this has been our biggest test we have ever faced. We are beginning to see more and more people suffering with post traumatic stress, anxiety and depression so we have a network of mental health specialists and paediatricians to provide the support needed to overcome the mental wounds this has inflicted.

We have now dedicated one of our depots specifically for food and clothing distributions as the need for support is huge. Since August 4th we have distributed more than 300 food boxes and the need for food is growing all the time as starvation becomes an ever growing issue.

We work with the local communities affected by the blast to understand those members of the communities in greatest need to prioritise them and ensure they do not feel alone, helpless or abandoned. We work with them to understand their specific situations, ensuring we do our best to restore some comfort and hope to their shattered lives.

We never discriminate in any way (religion, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, even political affiliation) - we see only desperate people in a desperate situation in desperate need of help.

And WE are in desperate need of YOUR help.

We have worked so hard, we have achieved so much but the challenge is huge.

We Need more Volunteers

We Need more Food, Clothing, Furniture and other essential items

We Need more Donations

We ask all of you, Please share this campaign. Please share the work we are doing. Please encourage as many people as possible to make a donation, no matter how small.

To all of those that have already made such generous donations; we Thank You from the bottom of our hearts, every single dollar raised makes a difference to someones life torn apart by this disaster.


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