A year after the terrible explosion in Beirut’s port, we remember in prayer all those affected. Lives were lost, and so were livelihoods, homes, and businesses. The scale of the devastation was almost incomprehensible. In the months that followed, with donor support, IOCC has offered meals to hundreds of families and repaired extensive damage to buildings. We’ve also worked with St. George University Hospital to help operations resume there. And IOCC continues serving, because the needs remain great for so many. Through IOCC, you’re helping the people of Lebanon. Here are a few of their stories.
Home Repairs for Hayat
Hayat lives in Ashrafieh, one of the neighborhoods most affected by the port explosion. For 11 years, she’s worked at a small parking lot near her home and used that income to care for Shadi, her 38-year-old son with special needs. Shadi, who loved music and spending time with friends, was killed in the blast while visiting a neighbor just a few doors away from home. On top of this great loss, and her own injuries from the explosion, the Beirut blast left Hayat with a home that was unsafe to live in.
As Hayat mourned the loss of her son, IOCC worked to ensure that in the midst of her grief she need not worry about where she would live or how to make the house livable again. Repairs ensured that Hayat had would have a safe shelter she could come home to and rely on, not only into the winter but also for years to come.
Repairing a Beloved Small Business
Tony, 75, has been a hairdresser in Beirut for more than 35 years. When the explosion hit in August 2020, he was seriously injured and almost lost his life. He managed to get the medical help he needed. IOCC helped Tony return to work by repairing his salon and getting it ready to receive customers once more. Now recovered from his injuries, Tony is back to cutting and styling and is happy to be supporting his family again.
“This is my only source of income, and because of IOCC, I was able to return to work again. I couldn’t have made it without IOCC. My house also got destroyed, so I would have prioritized fixing it rather fixing my salon,” said Tony.
Back to Sunday School
Zeina, 35, is responsible for the Sunday School of Al Saydeh parish in Ashrafieh, which—before the COVID-19 pandemic—used to unite 200 children and adolescents, ages 4 to 16 for a variety of religious and social activities.
In addition to religious education, the space also hosted extracurricular activities and community celebrations. After the explosion, repairs were needed to replace doors and windows, and IOCC also repaired and extended an outdoor pavilion roof, creating more usable outdoor space. Now that the work is complete, the entire facility has room for 800 children and adults, in indoor and outdoor spaces where the community can gather once again.
