A disaster of the scale of the Beirut Port explosion requires a great deal of effort and resources to recover from.
Since August 4th, local and international relief efforts have been pouring into the Lebanese capital, helping the countless victims of the blast restore a sense of normality to their lives.
However, in such a situation, disorganization can easily take over, considering the number of different groups and NGOs working on the ground, on one hand, and the overwhelming number of people who need help, on the other hand.
This problem has been prevalent in Beirut and caught the attention of a group of 4 Lebanese undergraduate students who observed the lack of “a unified, efficient, and direct method to make arrangements” between those who need help and those who are offering it.
To this problem, they found that the best solution would be to have a centralized platform that bridges the gap between the two sides and allows the victims who are in need of urgent aid to find it more easily and quickly.
So, they went to work and launched BDR Directory, or Beirut Disaster Relief Directory: A user-friendly, inclusive app that facilitates the search for “all services, donation channels, and volunteering opportunities needed to rebuild Beirut.”
Not only does BDR Directory benefit afflicted individuals but also potential volunteers or helpers who wish to offer their expertise, service, or products in any field to their fellow afflicted citizens — all in a free, accessible app.
The app’s user can browse and add ads for an offering or a service in various categories — for instance, an engineer who offers consultation services for free or at a special price, or a doctor who provides free-of-charge medical assistance.
Furthermore, those who wish to volunteer with, or donate to, verified NGOs that are helping rebuild Beirut can do so directly through BDR Directory.
Our mission is to contribute to the relief of Lebanon by providing a user-friendly, accessible, and free online platform that facilitates connections between those looking for help and those offering it.
The BDR Directory team
As of yet, the new app has tens of registered verified and well-known NGOs accepting donations and welcoming volunteers, as well as over 200 individual contacts offering their services for free or at eased prices in more than 20 categories.
*All images used in this article belong to Beirut Disaster Relief Directory
