Solidarity with Lebanon - Increasing challenges added to the 2020 explosion
Four years after the two lethal explosions which struck Beirut, Lebanon continues to descend into the abyss, mired in an economic and political crisis, not forgetting the impact of a war which has rekindled old wounds. The explosion of August 4, 2020 claimed the lives of 200 people, added to which were the 6,500 wounded and 30,000 displaced victims. The very next day, Fondation de France launched an appeal for funds, raising more than three million euros to help recovery, in a country already facing a crisis. Since then, it has carried out around 100 projects. Initially, providing aid to the explosions’ victims was a priority. The next one was to support initiatives, reinforcing the resilience of populations facing the multiple challenges the country needs to cope with.
Handing Beirut back to its inhabitants
In the first two years, the funds obtained were used primarily for the rebuilding of new stores and houses for the most vulnerable people (doors, windows, store fronts, etc.). In particular, Fondation de France forged a number of strong partnerships with the Order of Architects and Engineers, the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Beirut Heritage Initiative (BHI).
A number of projects were supported latterly: the building of a community center in Karantina with Design for Community; training craftspeople and renovating the arcades damaged by the explosion with the Arc-en-ciel nonprofit; undertaking the pedestrianization of the Al-Masar Al-Akhdar Square (a project unfortunately suspended because of political pressure) with Beirut Urban Lab; providing environmental education in the Chatila camp with the Children and Youth association.
Supporting the youth of Lebanon who aspire to build a fairer and more inclusive society
The entire world witnessed the strong mobilization of Lebanon’s young people who helped families in the aftermath of the explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020. Some of them decided to carry on and now want to see these models of solidarity and mutual assistance become permanent. For example, community restaurant Nation Station offers meals to the most vulnerable families of Jeitaoui. Other community grocery stores are being experimented, such as Dikken Al-Mazraa, supported by Fondation de France since 2023. Jibal is an association monitoring these experiments, to try and create new viable models for a social and inclusive economy in Lebanon. A dozen or so young people from poorer neighborhoods affected by the explosion created an association, Alpha. The goal is to rebuild a center in Mount Lebanon which will welcome groups of children and young people and organize nature trips in the fall of 2024. Lastly, nonprofit Warshee which trains women in woodwork, is developing its activity both online and in Tripoli.
Warshee, an association which trains women in woodwork.
Lasting commitment
Fondation de France and its donor-advised funds such as Ghazal and Vivre Ensemble (Living Together) have been supporting initiatives that promote intercommunity dialog and peace. In 2023-202, several groups of high schoolers worked on environmental community projects (installing solar panels in their school, implementing a waste disposal system in their village, etc.) with the help of nonprofit Arc-en-Ciel. Nonprofit Zoukak organizes cultural activities for children and offers workshops on non-violent communication with adults. After the horrific events of October 2023, many emergency grants were awarded to Lebanese nonprofits to ensure that children could go to school and to assist displaced families in southern Lebanon. In early 2024, Fondation de France launched a new fund for the Middle East to support the victims of war in the region.
TO FIND OUT MORE