Background:
August 4th 2020, a devastating explosion destroyed Beirut.
In this instant, Lebanon lost more than 190 souls. 6,000 people were left injured; while others remain missing to this day.
The shockwaves from the blast tore through the capital, wrecking more than 80,000 homes and leaving near 300,000 people homeless. As we collectively pick up the pieces, we cannot help but feel a strong sense of community, a community that has come together on the ground and around the world to provide those suffering with their basic needs.
Be it the countless volunteers working on the ground sweeping up the pieces of broken glass, delivering food boxes to those who desperately need it, assessing health and mental health needs, to the expats reminding their friends and everyone to #talkaboutLebanon, never has our Community been as united as it has in these dark times.
This disaster could not have come at a worse time for the city and the country, which was not only suffering from the consequences of a global pandemic, but also a devastating economic and financial crisis which has worsened exponentially since October 2019. At the end of this year, it is estimated that nearly half the population of Lebanon will be living in poverty.
Aim:
The Lebanese Community of Hong Kong, are appealing to your good will, to help raise funds in order to purchase glass to help fix the windows of more than 300 homes in the affected areas of Beirut. We have partnered up with the Lebanese Business Council in Abu Dhabi, which will help us purchase an estimated six containers’ worth of glass. The glass panels will be provided by Emirates Glass at preferential rates and will be shipped to Beirut tax and duty-free.
On Site:
We have also partnered with two local NGOs – arcenciel and Offre Joie – which a member of our community in Hong Kong has personally met and vetted during his journey in Lebanon. Not only are they well established, but they’ve had a solid track record helping assess and rebuild the destroyed homes following the events of August 4th. These two NGOs deliver aid on a means-tested basis, regardless of religion, sect, political affiliation, race, gender or any other personal attribute.
A few words from our man on the ground:
Michel went the Beirut mid August, to help and witness the devastation caused by the explosion. As we were discussing the potential ways to help, he left us with those chilling words when describing the situation:
“As I walked around the empty streets of Beirut, I stared at a level of destruction so brutal, it left a once buzzing city, mute. Indeed, Beirut was silent; no cars were honking, no people chatting, no music playing. For the first time in my life, though having lost family and friends before, I heard the sound of Death. It was a terrifying and puzzling silence that brought back past memories I shared with Beirut, a nostalgia abruptly brought to a stop to remind me that Lebanon is mourning its capital.”
How you can help:
Please visit our specially dedicated page and donate! We would also greatly appreciate it if you could help us spread the word amongst your networks and friends, our Beirut needs all the help it can get!
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this initiative please e-mail us at
[email protected]
