CAROLINE BAZZI

Beirut- A year has passed since 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut's port on 4 August 2020 but people have still suffered from the effects of the blast. On November 19, Beity Association held a meeting at the Dar El-Gemmayzeh restaurant, located in Beirut, with the cooperation of UN Women to discuss how to heal the wounds and reduce the damage of the blast. The representatives of many associations, non-government organizations attended the meeting. We spoke to several women attending the meeting.

“We wanted to bring everyone together”

Josephine Zgheib, the president of the Beity Association, told us that they, as the association, went to the Gemmayzeh neighborhood of Beirut to help families. Stating that victims of the blast mostly lived in the Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael neighborhoods, Josephine Zgheib said, “We launched a project to help the people affected by the blast. However, as we saw how the progress was slow during an emergency situation in Lebanon after the 4 August blast, we understood that we should cooperate with the police departments in the Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael neighborhoods. We worked with the police departments and civil defense units to help people. Now, we have a plan to establish emergency management.”

6 associations work together

Indicating that they decided to work with six associations to carry out the project, Josephine Zgheib said that they will hold meetings to establish an emergency service under a common plan. “The aim of holding the meeting at the Dar El-Gemmayzeh restaurant was to bring all NGOs, the women affected by the blast, police officers together because everyone has been affected by the blast.”

“25 women attended the training courses”

Joumana Al-Bella, an executive of the Beity Association, stated that the blast mostly affected the old people and women, who had shops near the Beirut port. The project was initiated by the association in July 2021 and ant it will last until June 2022. “We have already organized training courses for women. Until now, 25 women attended the training courses held in the offices of six associations. We have organized courses for women on social responsibility, communication skills, and rehabilitation.”

She told us the moment of the blast

22-year-old Mira Kawas, a civil defense volunteer, told us what she had experienced after the blast. Pointing out that the blast in the Port of Beirut is the biggest disaster in the history of Lebanon, Mira Kawas said, “The first thing I saw was a child crying in blood. I saw many dead bodies. They were everywhere. Words are not sufficient to tell that moment. The first thing I thought of was my family. I was worried about them. When I realized that my thoughts prevented me, I stopped thinking and ran to help people. That time, I felt like I was 100 strong people.”