Help Communiti recover from Beirut blast!
Donation protected
Yesterday, Lebanon made global news again for the worst situation possible. An explosion occurred at the Beirut Port, involving 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that was neglected and overlooked by the same corrupt political class. An explosion that was heard all the way to Cyprus and is considered the 4th most powerful explosion after Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Halifax, created massive destruction around it and inside the city which words fail to describe. After 24 hours, the death toll has risen to 135, with about 5,000 people wounded and some of those cases are severe. Hospitals are at full capacity with a shortage of blood, and operations are being conducted in the hallways. It is reported that more than 300,000 people are now deemed homeless, because many buildings in the surrounding areas have collapsed. It is estimated that the capital would need about 6 years of reconstruction to look like it once did 1 day ago.
Our Communiti
A lot of initiatives started taking place since the explosion occurred, however this one is more private and personal one. Being part of Communiti myself, I always felt part of a group of people in Beirut that would go out of their way to help me and make me feel like I belonged to the most vibrant city in the world. What started out from music has grew much bigger to include a group of friends who consider themselves as family. Today, 5 people out of this group have found themselves under the broken walls and windows of their own homes, covered in blood, with no prior warning. They found themselves walking out of a catastrophe into the streets searching for help and helping others on the way. These people now have no place to call home and have no hope in sight.
Any amount granted would be of great help, even 10 Euros would be worthy considering the bad economic conditions. The amount will make up a relief fund for the damaged to cover the following:
- A month or two worth of rent until the house repairs take place.
- Medical supplies to deal with the injuries and hospital costs.
- Utilities and food costs.
- House repairs. (3 damaged houses)
- Car repairs. (2 damages cars)
Fundraiser set up by Milena Gehrt (Germany), Mohammad Hajjar (Germany) and Bryony Hutt (UK). All money raised will be sent to our five close friends in Beirut, either by bank transfer or in cash when Milena travels to Lebanon at the end of August. We'll send regular updates through this page so you know how your money has helped our friends rebuild their lives.
As some of you might know, 2020 has been the worst ever year recorded in Lebanon’s history.
On 17 October 2019, about one hundred civil activists protested against new proposed taxes, blocking streets around downtown Beirut. Shots were fired to disperse the protesters. That same night, protests spread around the country and the next day, the largest ever protest in Lebanese history was recorded. Almost two million protesters around the country demanded the corrupt government to resign.
Fast forward 5 months, a new government was formed, supported by the same corrupt sectarian leaders under the label of free liberal technocrats. In February, economic conditions started worsening as the Lebanese Central Bank was due to pay back Eurobond US dollar dues, and light was being shed on the underlying corruption that's taken place for 30 years in the Lebanese political system.
Economic crisis
The US dollar at that time was worth 1,500 Lebanese Lira (LL) holding strong for 20 years, When the Central Bank was found to be operating a Ponzi scheme with all the other Lebanese banks, the value of the Lira began to drop. When corona spread, the government took advantage, prolonging the quarantine to keep protestors off the streets.
Over the course of the next 6 months, the US dollar reached heights of 10,000 LL and now sits at around 9,000 LL. The Lebanese people’s bank deposits have been confiscated by the banks, with small limits allowed for withdrawal if the person could get past the long queues.
People have lost their life savings, their jobs, their houses, their electricity, their luxury of food, and everything considered non-essential. The ones who kept their jobs are being paid half, which considering the drop in the currency, is equivalent 10% of what they used to earn. All of that while people were still protesting, even during the peak of corona.
Our Communiti
A lot of initiatives started taking place since the explosion occurred, however this one is more private and personal one. Being part of Communiti myself, I always felt part of a group of people in Beirut that would go out of their way to help me and make me feel like I belonged to the most vibrant city in the world. What started out from music has grew much bigger to include a group of friends who consider themselves as family. Today, 5 people out of this group have found themselves under the broken walls and windows of their own homes, covered in blood, with no prior warning. They found themselves walking out of a catastrophe into the streets searching for help and helping others on the way. These people now have no place to call home and have no hope in sight.
Any amount granted would be of great help, even 10 Euros would be worthy considering the bad economic conditions. The amount will make up a relief fund for the damaged to cover the following:
- A month or two worth of rent until the house repairs take place.
- Medical supplies to deal with the injuries and hospital costs.
- Utilities and food costs.
- House repairs. (3 damaged houses)
- Car repairs. (2 damages cars)
Fundraiser set up by Milena Gehrt (Germany), Mohammad Hajjar (Germany) and Bryony Hutt (UK). All money raised will be sent to our five close friends in Beirut, either by bank transfer or in cash when Milena travels to Lebanon at the end of August. We'll send regular updates through this page so you know how your money has helped our friends rebuild their lives.
As some of you might know, 2020 has been the worst ever year recorded in Lebanon’s history.
On 17 October 2019, about one hundred civil activists protested against new proposed taxes, blocking streets around downtown Beirut. Shots were fired to disperse the protesters. That same night, protests spread around the country and the next day, the largest ever protest in Lebanese history was recorded. Almost two million protesters around the country demanded the corrupt government to resign.
Fast forward 5 months, a new government was formed, supported by the same corrupt sectarian leaders under the label of free liberal technocrats. In February, economic conditions started worsening as the Lebanese Central Bank was due to pay back Eurobond US dollar dues, and light was being shed on the underlying corruption that's taken place for 30 years in the Lebanese political system.
Economic crisis
The US dollar at that time was worth 1,500 Lebanese Lira (LL) holding strong for 20 years, When the Central Bank was found to be operating a Ponzi scheme with all the other Lebanese banks, the value of the Lira began to drop. When corona spread, the government took advantage, prolonging the quarantine to keep protestors off the streets.
Over the course of the next 6 months, the US dollar reached heights of 10,000 LL and now sits at around 9,000 LL. The Lebanese people’s bank deposits have been confiscated by the banks, with small limits allowed for withdrawal if the person could get past the long queues.
People have lost their life savings, their jobs, their houses, their electricity, their luxury of food, and everything considered non-essential. The ones who kept their jobs are being paid half, which considering the drop in the currency, is equivalent 10% of what they used to earn. All of that while people were still protesting, even during the peak of corona.
Fundraising team: Communiti (5)
Milena Gehrt
Organizer
Berlin, Berlin
Isabel Henzler Carrascal
Team member
Caroline Créton
Team member
Bryony Hutt
Team member
Mohammad Hajjar
Team member