Photo: Ruwwad Al Tanmeya The non-governmental organization Ruwwad Al Tanmeya is helping displaced Lebanese.
Magdaline Boutros
Published at 0:00
- Middle East
“The only positive aspect that we can see in this war is solidarity,” sighs Sarah Al Charif. When the bombings intensified in Lebanon two weeks ago, the young woman and dozens of volunteers working for the non-governmental organization Ruwwad Al Tanmeya set to work, deploying ingenuity and expertise, to help the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese suddenly driven from their homes.
“They arrived with nothing. They left everything behind,” says the activist from Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city, which sees the influx of displaced people swell by the day. “It’s a catastrophe.” »
According to the UN, over 1 million Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes near the Blue Line along the Lebanese-Israeli border in the past year, including at least 400,000 in the past two weeks alone, as Israel continues to bombard them heavily.
Most of these shelters are public schools that have to organize themselves. They need support. They don’t have the proper infrastructure. And some shelters aren’t even schools, so they’re even less well-suited to serve as shelters.
— Sarah Al Charif
“Looking at them, we thought, we’re all Lebanese and we need to support each other,” Sarah says. “We need to [see and experience] this solidarity, because it’s the last hope we have when emergencies like this happen.” »
Photo: Sarah Al Charif “We have to support each other,” says Sarah Al Charif, Lebanon director of the organization Ruwwad Al Tanmeya.
The NGO Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, which focuses on education, has thus transformed itself into a mutual aid network in the emergency. “We have a community kitchen, so we decided to provide hot meals,” says the organization’s Lebanon director. Now, every day, some 3,000 meals come out of Ruwwad’s stoves in Tripoli and are sent to improvised shelters.
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“Most of these shelters are public schools that have to organize themselves,” she adds. “They need support. They don’t have the proper infrastructure. And some shelters aren’t even schools, so they’re even less well-suited to serve as shelters.”
The needs are immense, in terms of electricity, water, and fuel, as well as food, hygiene products, mattresses, blankets, and more. “There’s a need for all the basic items.” All this in a context where Lebanon has been going through a major economic crisis for the past five years, Sarah recalls.
In addition to providing meals, Ruwwad also raises funds and collects in-kind donations to meet specific needs. “We distribute the donations we receive, and sometimes we also buy items to fill the gaps in the shelters. […] Everyone tries to help, whether it’s financial donations, in-kind donations, or volunteering.”
Photo: Ruwwad Al Tanmeya Mattresses are delivered to shelters in Tripoli.
In recent days, the organization’s successes have led the young woman to be given the role of coordinator of aid efforts on the ground, a pivotal role she plays alongside other organizations in Tripoli and municipal authorities. “[Tackling the situation] requires going far beyond the interventions of a single organization,” she says. “The government, international organizations, and civil society as a whole—including Lebanese citizens living in Lebanon and abroad—must also be involved.”
Submerged city
In Tripoli, it is not only the shelters that are overwhelmed by the influx of displaced people, but also the city itself. Lebanon is already one of the most densely populated countries on the planet, with a population of 5.5 million people in a territory of 10,542 km2, an area three times smaller than Belgium.
“Today, the same population has to live in a restricted geographical area. So if you come here [to Tripoli], you will see traffic congestion and crowds. [No matter where you want to go], it takes an enormous amount of time because of the traffic. So really everyone is experiencing the consequences of this war.”
Children are also on the front lines of this crisis, with about 40% of the country’s 1.25 million students displaced, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Education, and almost all of Lebanon’s children deprived of school.
“Education is suspended in public schools, just like during the pandemic. They’re going to miss another school year,” Sarah laments. A situation that, like during the COVID-19 crisis, creates injustices since children in private schools or who were not displaced could resume their education more quickly.
According to the latest report from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have left 2,083 dead and 9,869 injured. The Israeli army warned on Monday that it was preparing to further expand its military operations against Hezbollah, whose strike force it wants to neutralize.
Sarah Al Charif is well aware that her country has a long road ahead of it. “By preserving these three important values of empathy, solidarity and humanity, we will be able to preserve [our social cohesion], she says. The war is not going to end in a few days, so we must continue to be mobilized to get through it.”