In the hearts of Achrafieh, a shabby apartment has opened its doors for the poor and needy of Lebanon. Here, the sick are treated, the hungry are offered hearty meals, and the homeless can find a shelter for the night.
The world is full of wonderful people with the capacity to do good. Rita Boulos, a native of Achrafieh, is one of these gems. She has taken upon herself to help her fellow humans in need.
On the Facebook page of her house, a post in the local language reads:
“This house in Achrafieh.. has a kitchen, and the kitchen is yours. Tell the homeless, the needy and the hungry about us. Invite them to come eat at their home. If there’s bread, it’s theirs. Every day.. every day.. every day, there are meals cooked by several women from different areas… Come join us.. Come, we’re here for you…“
“-Rita, are you sure you can take in so many people?
-I want to be a grain [of change] in the ocean.”
Empathetic to the suffering of others, Rita decided to rent an apartment and open its doors for the unfortunate. She is offering food, clothes, shelter, medicine, and money to those who need it.
But that’s not even the best part. This philanthropic enterprise has a community-based approach. Meaning: People and locals are providing all the help and offering up their services.
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“If you can’t feed a hundred. Start by feeding one.”
Driven only by her initiative and sense-of-community, Rita has already helped dozens of families with people wading in by the day.
A real community has grown around the ‘home’, and people have been coming from all over Lebanon to ‘participate’ and to give whatever they can spare.
“Hanan from Akkar is here to offer a hand.”
Others have chosen to take it a step further. They have opened their doors and are inviting in the women of the home-shelter for a nice meal and a day out.
“I’d like to thank the owners of this house for inviting the mothers in the shelter to celebrate Mother’s Day their own way…”
Rita also started touring impoverished areas in Lebanon, bringing the help to those who can’t get to it themselves.
The Facebook page of the home-shelter is called “Ana kamen je3t avec Rita Boulos طريقنا السما”. It translates into: “I, too, am hungry – with Rita Boulos- Our path to Heaven.”
The home is down the street facing Hotel Dieu, next to the offices of the Lebanese Forces.
