Randa, 45, is a separated mother who lives in a rented apartment in northeast Beirut with her brother, his children, and her own two sons. She provided for her boys on her own for the last 15 years, but a year ago, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she lost her housekeeping job. Randa has since struggled to make ends meet, determinedly collecting and selling scrap metal in the neighborhood — but it’s not enough. “Selling scrap doesn’t help me feed my children or send them to school,” said Randa.
When her home was damaged in the August 2020 explosion, Randa was at a loss. “If people had not volunteered to fix cracks in the walls, glass, and doors … rain would have filled my house, which is already damp.”
Since the explosion, Randa and her family have received hot meals from IOCC several times weekly, through a community kitchen — part of IOCC’s emergency response, supported by partners DKH Germany and Norwegian Church Aid. She expressed her gratitude for the help, and told staff, “If I don’t receive this food, my family and I would go without any.”
Even before the pandemic, Lebanon faced economic crisis and widespread unemployment, plus a large number of refugees from Syria. With hot meals from IOCC, Randa’s family — and hundreds like them — need not worry about one of their most basic needs.
