What's happening in Lebanon and how to help
On Tuesday evening a massive explosion shook the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The blast appears to have been centered on the city's port area.
At least 400 hundred people were injured by the blast and rushed to the emergency unit.
What's happening in Lebanon
in october 2019, the thawra (revolution) began due to:
- an economic and political crisis
- lack of stable electricity and clean water
- severe rates of unemployment
citizens have been organizing protests demanding change for 10 months.
reasons behind the protests:
the protests began after the prime minister, Saad Hariri, attempted to increase the prices of taxes, tobacco, gas, and even whatsapp.
protestors demanded for basic services such as healthcare, transportation, and stable electricity since lebanon only offers about half of the electricity needed.
people also demanded a change in the discriminatory ways of the nationality law in order to allow lebanese women to pass down their citizenship to their children, which, as of right now, is forbidden. this law denies said children access to healthcare, loans, or certain jobs since they are considered foreigners.
since october the lebanese pound has lost over 88% of its value. right now the inflation rate is the 3rd highest in the world.
many people are in debt and out of business as the economy of lebanon comes to a halt.
importers of medical supplies have been almost shut down due to their debts, leaving hospitals in lebanon critically low on medical supplies.
lebanon's import supply chain is quickly decreasing to a crawl.
lebanon has not seen an economic crisis this bad since the days of the civil war.
lebanon is now on the verge of starvation, fearing that the country will repeat its history from the 1915 famine, where lebanon lost around half its population.
prices of basic goods have skyrocketed.
2019: around 20,000 LBP ($13)
2020: 30,000 - 70,000 LBP ($20 - $46)
along with the famine, the poor and elderly struggle with high risks of COVID-19. the medical institution is dangerously lacking crucial medical supplies, the probabilities of death due to both famine and the pandemic have increased significantly.
living conditions of palestinian and syrian refugees were already quite horrific before the crisis. judging by the way things are currently going for lebanon, their conditions are expected to severely worsen.
domestic workers who have faced the struggles of the Kafala system are now left without pay, belongings or their passports. most of them can be found asleep on the streets.
i've seen many lebanese people say that signing petitions / donating won't help because of the corrupt government. donating blood and / or food if you can would be the way to go. if i am wrong please feel free to correct me.
spreading awareness is a form of helping too.
donate to ebanese red cross from this app only because apparently websites use the money for their own websites instead.
if you have any links for food donation please feel free to dm me as i have found none.