DistantNews
Support us
🇱🇧 Lebanon /Culture & Society

Migrants step up to support community in war-hit Beirut

From Naharnet · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Migrant workers in Beirut are actively supporting their community amidst the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah war.
  • Volunteers, primarily migrants from African nations and some displaced Lebanese families, are preparing and distributing food and essential items.
  • Organizations like REMAN and Tres Marias are coordinating efforts to aid nearly 1,500 volunteers and assist those affected by the conflict.

In the heart of Beirut, amidst the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, migrant workers are stepping up to provide crucial support to their community. At a bustling center, volunteers from various African nations, alongside Lebanese families displaced or struggling financially, are preparing meals and distributing essential supplies to those affected by the war.

If we don't do it, no one will do it for us.

— Viany De MarceauViany De Marceau, who runs REMAN, an NGO supporting African migrant workers, stated this as she and her team shifted their focus to help those struggling due to the fighting.

Viany De Marceau, who runs the NGO REMAN supporting African migrant workers, highlighted the community's self-reliance. "If we don't do it, no one will do it for us," she stated. De Marceau and her team have shifted their focus to assist nearly 1,500 volunteers, many of whom are migrants from countries like Ethiopia, Benin, and Kenya. The center is a hive of activity, with women sewing blankets and stacking mattresses, while the air is filled with the aroma of cooking okra soup and fufu.

Even in the night we are busy. The phone will not stop ringing.

— Viany De MarceauDe Marceau described the constant demand for assistance at the center.

De Marceau described the relentless pace: "Even in the night we are busy. The phone will not stop ringing." She added that helping others brings her "a kind of happiness," underscoring the humanitarian spirit driving these efforts. The initiative provides food packages and hot meals to those in need, demonstrating solidarity in a time of crisis.

Helping others in the community brings me a kind of happiness.

— Viany De MarceauDe Marceau expressed her personal motivation for the volunteer work.

Similarly, Myra Aragon, 52, from the Philippines, coordinates efforts through her organization, Tres Marias. Her team is preparing around 150 hot meals daily and distributing basic necessities like bread and toothpaste. Aragon emphasized the unwavering commitment to aid: "We cannot just say to them that, 'sorry, we cannot give you food today because we have nothing to cook'. We have to make it happen." These actions showcase the resilience and compassion of migrant communities in Lebanon, who are extending aid despite facing their own hardships due to the war.

The first calls for help came as early as 3:00 am when the war erupted on March 2.

— Myra AragonAragon, from the Philippines and part of the Tres Marias organization, detailed the immediate impact of the conflict on their community support efforts.
DistantNews Editorial

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

More Stories

From Our Blog