A year after the terrible event, Lebanon commemorates the explosions that tore through the port of Beirut, devastating the city and the country. More than 200 people died in the explosions and hundreds of thousands of others lost their homes and livelihoods.
One of those affected by the blasts is Manale Chahine. Her husband ran a small coffee kiosk in Nabaa, east of Beirut. However, with the further deterioration of the economy after the explosions, he was forced to close his business.
Now the Chahines, their three children and Mr. Chahine’s sick mother live in a modest place they rent in a poor neighborhood in Nabaa. Mrs. Chahine contributed to the family income for a while by cleaning apartments. However, rheumatoid arthritis soon set in and she became unable to work.
The Chahines and others are living day to day as recipients of food packages that meet their basic needs, along with medical and psycho-social support through a local dispensary, funded by CNEWA and donor partners.
“I can make different dishes and bring food to the table,” said Mrs. Chahine. “A real burden is off my shoulders.”
However, the family has not been able to pay rent for seven months and Mrs. Chahine worries their landlord will run out of patience.
Meet Mrs. Chahine and her family in the video below.
Your help makes a real difference in the lives of the people a year after the Beirut port explosion — people still facing an ongoing pandemic, as well as political and economic crises.
Mrs. Chahine brings home a box of supplies provided by CNEWA. (photo: Maroun Bassil)
