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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Australians financially supporting family in Lebanon say they have no other option

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Australians with family in Lebanon are sending thousands of dollars to support them amid the ongoing conflict.
  • Many relatives have been displaced and are struggling to afford basic necessities like food and medicine.
  • Rising living costs in Australia combined with the war's impact in Lebanon create significant financial and emotional strain for diaspora members.

Sue Badreddine, a community services officer from Sydney, describes sleepless nights worrying about her brother and relatives trapped in southern Lebanon. Following Israeli airstrikes that destroyed their homes, thirty of her relatives are now sharing a single bedroom house. Their village, Kfar Kila, is among many along Lebanon's southern border that have been devastated by years of bombardment.

As soon as I get my pay cheque, I say, 'OK, this is for us, and this is for Lebanon.'

— Sue BadreddineBadreddine explains how she prioritizes her finances to support her family in Lebanon.

Ms. Badreddine has sent thousands of dollars this year alone to help her family survive, stating, "As soon as I get my pay cheque, I say, 'OK, this is for us, and this is for Lebanon.'" She is already financially strained by rising living expenses in Australia, and the intensified Israeli attacks since February have added significant emotional and financial burdens.

It's every single week. And here [in Australia] I don't own a house, I rent. So I have to pay for my rent, for our bills, for our petrol as well. I'm working, but it's not even enough for us.

— Sue BadreddineBadreddine describes the financial challenges of supporting her family in Lebanon while living in Australia.

She is not alone. Many Australians within the Lebanese diaspora, estimated at nearly 250,000 people, are sending money to Lebanon for essentials like food, medicine, and baby formula. Ms. Badreddine struggles to make ends meet, paying for her own rent, bills, and petrol while also supporting her family's rent, water, gas, and electricity costs. She notes that many of her relatives have lost their ability to work due to the war.

The people there just want to have bread to eat and milk for the kids, and medicine for the elders.

— Sue BadreddineBadreddine conveys the basic needs of her family and community in Lebanon.

The economic situation in Lebanon exacerbates the crisis. Inflation reached 17.26% in March, largely driven by transport prices linked to fuel costs. The war has disrupted supply chains, leading to significant price increases for basic goods. The World Food Programme reports that bread prices have risen by 17% since March, and Ms. Badreddine's family reports bread can cost up to five times more from some retailers. The scarcity of essentials like baby formula is also a critical issue.

Babies go without formula because they just can't find any.

— Sue BadreddineBadreddine highlights the scarcity of essential items like baby formula in Lebanon.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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