ActionAid stands with the population of Beirut
On August 4, 2020, two explosions hit the city of Beirut, Lebanon, killing 180 people and injuring another 6,000. The explosion led to the destruction of the area surrounding the port and an estimated 300,000 people have lost their homes. The origin of the explosion was a deposit of ammonium nitrate weighing 2,075 tons located in the port since 2012.
Lebanon is now facing a serious food shortage as most of the grain and other supplies available in the country were stored in the port of the city.
Prior to the explosion, Lebanon was already facing a deep economic crisis with half the population living below the poverty line in a country that in recent decades, has faced a harrowing civil war and welcomed thousands of refugees.
Our commitment
ActionAid immediately responded thanks to the collaboration with local partners, such as ABAAD, to support families already affected by Covid19 with essential supplies of food, hygiene kits, masks and shelters for families left homeless.
Our commitment is aimed at encouraging emergency response led by women and aimed at providing the population with the tools to recover in the long term. We have also started to repair the less damaged houses in order to allow part of the population to return once their homes are secure.
We support women and girls in vulnerable conditions and who have survived violence: in emergency situations, experience has taught us that women are often marginalized and pay the highest price.
We also provide psychological support to the most affected people, through the action of young leaders trained to best guide the humanitarian response while respecting human rights.
We are continuing to collect requests from the population through a dedicated hotline in order to be able to intervene in a targeted manner where it is most needed. We will continue to be present in the area in the coming weeks to make sure that everyone is protected and supported.