With the Beirut port’s explosion that wrecked half the Lebanese capital and stranded hundreds of thousands of people, Beirut would have been an abandoned ghost city today if it wasn’t for the NGOs and the thousands of people who just ran to help, and still do voluntarily.
Since the doomsday of August 4th, they have been relentless on the ground, sheltering, feeding, cleaning up the rubbles, repairing homes, providing necessities, rebuilding, and lending moral and emotional support.
It is the people, whether by individual initiatives or by NGOs’ teams, who have been managing the catastrophe to the best of their limited capabilities, and they have been achieving a lot, nonetheless.
Many NGOs & charities have been involved in the disaster relief for Beirut. Here are some of the most notable ones, with links to their websites for those who wish to volunteer with them or to help them by donating.
FoodBlessed
A Lebanese hunger relief initiative run by a group of volunteers with a passion and will to fight hunger in Lebanon, FoodBlessed has been doubling its efforts during this catastrophe that befell on Beirut, destroying countless of homes and causing hundreds of thousands of people to become homeless.
Lebanese Food Bank
The Lebanese Food Bank is a non-profit organization that has been providing thousands of families around Lebanon with food packages.
And, their work did not stop after Beirut’s devastating events. Instead, they’ve been able to provide people in and out of Beirut with food packages and surgical masks to protect themselves from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Caritas Lebanon
Caritas Lebanon has been the Catholic Church’s helping hand since 1951. The organization has been spreading the Church’s message by helping poor citizens, regardless of their backgrounds.
Caritas Lebanon has been reconstructing houses and providing devastated families with hot meals from their kitchen stands.
Basma Lebanon
Basma has been helping rebuilding damaged homes in various areas of Beirut, including Karantina, Bourj Hammoud, Jeitawai, Mar Mikhael, and Rmeil, and distributing food essentials to the impacted families.
The NGO initially focuses on empowering deprived families to reach self-sufficiency.
Lebanon 2.0
Lebanon 2.0 is formed of a group of young and dynamic Lebanese who work for a better and stronger Lebanon. They have been preparing daily meals and distributing them to thousands of people in dozens of locations in Beirut, including first responders, health workers in hospitals, and volunteers on the ground.
Kheir
A group of women started this foundation earlier this year when products’ prices increased exponentially. They’ve been able to feed over 250 families, and after the Beirut explosion, they’re feeding even more.
Basmeh & Zeitouneh
Basmeh & Zeitooneh, Smile & Olive, is a symbol of happiness, peace, and nourishment. It has been helping all individuals who have been impacted by the explosion by providing them with basic food necessities.
Union of Relief & Development Associations
The URDA has been helping out the unfortunate Lebanese since 2012. And now, more than ever, people are in need of help after the financial crisis and the Beirut explosion.
By providing water, food, hygiene, and other much-needed products, the URDA is helping thousands of families through the disaster.
Ahla Fawda
Ahla Fawda, most beautiful mess, is a Lebanese NGO that strives to spread joy throughout Lebanon, and is governed by young volunteers. Now, the organization is spreading joy to Beirut’s citizens by cleaning their homes and renovating them.
Also, Ahla Fawda is accepting food, clothes, and furniture donations to help those in need.
The Lebanese Red Cross
With the coronavirus outbreak and now, the Beirut blast, the organization worked around the hours to support those in need.
Because of the recent worldwide contribution to the organization, they’ve been able to help over 6,000 families impacted.
Dafa Campaign
Paula Yacoubian, ex-member of parliament, launched the campaign in 2013 in hopes of supporting underprivileged families in Lebanon.
Going by its name, Dafa, meaning warmth, is helping families get through Beirut blast, repairing devastated homes, and providing clothes, food, toys, and electronics to ensure their survival of the upcoming winters.
Arc-En-Ciel
The Lebanese non-profit organization, Arc-En-Ciel, was established during the civil war in 1985 and has been making Lebanon a better place for handicaps ever since.
The organization’s mission was heavily needed after the explosion. Over 300,000 people were injured leaving them in need of expensive medical attention and technical aid.
Arcenciel has been giving out hundreds of food, furniture, and technical aid to Beirut’s citizens.
Offre Joie
Offre Joie, a Lebanese organization formed in 1985 by Melhem Khalaf, has been helping children in need by offering them joy through their services.
The NGO, which has been one of the main recipients of foreign donations after the blast, is taking care of 150 families which homes they are currently repairing.
Rebuild Beirut
Rebuild Beirut‘s has been reconstructed demolished homes thanks to the contribution of volunteering architects and engineers.
Ajialouna
Ajialouna, meaning our generations, supports underprivileged individuals whom they believe entitled to equal access to basic life necessities. The NGO has been helping hundreds of families, cleaning up and fixing their homes, and providing them with basic hygiene items, especially for women.
Countries like Oman and Kuwait have contributed through Aijalouna to help over 400 families.
Embrace
Lebanon’s first National Emotional Support and Suicide Prevention Helpline, Embrace has been providing free consultations to traumatized citizens after the explosion.
Even though their office has been destroyed by the explosion, the NGO did not back down from its aim and is continuously helping the community in need.
Such an explosion can traumatize its victims, and if not treated, its aftermath might haunt them for the rest of their lives. That’s why Embrace is taking this catastrophe’s outcomes seriously and is offering free group sessions, calls, and meetings to help victims overcome this tragedy.
Children’s Cancer Center Lebanon
Since cancer treatments are expensive, the Children’s Cancer Center Lebanon is providing all children in need access to free treatment and care.
After the explosion, Beirut’s largest hospitals were severely demolished and cancer patients had to move into CCL’s also destroyed center thus exceeding its hosting limits.
However, they’ve managed to take in more than 20 patients and are yearning to help more children in need.
Beit Al Baraka
Beit EL Baraka, The Blessed House, is a non-profit organization that aims for better fundamental living to the struggling retired Lebanese citizens.
Since the explosion, the organization inspected and assessed the damages in the houses of the impacted area and are working towards rebuilding them.
They’ve been also filling up shelves of destroyed shops and sending food packages to those impacted.