Grassroots Fund for Vulnerable LGBTQ in Beirut
Donation protected
The massive explosion of August 4 devastated an already suffering Beirut: the blast resulted in more than 100 deaths, more than 4000 injuries, and approximately 300,000 people displaced. LGBTQ folks are hit especially hard as some cannot rely on their families, the last resort safety net for most people in Lebanon.
This fundraiser supports the establishment of a medium-term safety net for a number of vulnerable trans and queer individuals, to cover rent, healthcare, and other expenses related to putting their lives back together over the next 2 months. This safety net will be organized and managed by a team of on-the-ground queer activists.
It is complementary to emergency LGBTQ+ aid and relief efforts in Beirut; excess sums to the initial goal will go to support these existing emergency initiatives.
The massive explosion of August 4 completely destroyed what had already been crumbling for years in Lebanon. Decades of corruption and devastating economic policies created the worst economic crisis the country has ever seen. On top of these two catastrophes, Lebanon is well into an intensified second wave of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of any governmental action, many of us have been working together to help people affected by the explosion secure food, housing, and emergency aid.
Most of our queer and trans friends were already unable to secure formal employment, permanent housing, or safe working environments in Lebanon. Existing aid efforts are providing needed emergency support (food, shelter, healthcare) to those affected. However, many people in our communities will be unable to get back on their feet after a few days, or a couple of weeks, of aid. We are running this fundraiser to complement current emergency efforts in a way that will provide people with a safety net that enables them to rebuild their lives.
Who are we? We are a group of queer individuals living in Lebanon. We have been working on establishing and supporting a grassroots local mutual aid effort where we share resources and support one another as we try to survive this crisis and build stronger communities. We work together to provide sustainable support to people in our communities, with a special focus on transgender and gender-variant individuals who lost their housing or income due to the recent devastation of our city.
The funds raised are used to provide necessary aid for queer, trans, and non-binary people in and around Beirut. This aid goes to rent, medication, and other urgent needs. The type of aid provided is determined according to each individual’s needs by the members of our mutual aid group, and made transparent while preserving the privacy of LGBTQ+ recipients. In this initial stage, we aim to raise $5000 to support 40 individuals over the next 1-2 months and help them weather the consequences of the blast.
We are building something that helps our community outlive this crisis: It’s a survival network but also a community that will sustain its members and remain intact for the long-term. The root causes of our current crises must be challenged; for they would otherwise go on repeating themselves. Through solidarity, we will resist despair and overcome this brutal devastation and the system that enabled it.
Please help us reach our goal by donating or sharing this fundraiser with your friends, families, and colleagues. Any additional funds raised will be channelled to other LGBTQ+ relief efforts in Beirut, and will be documented on this page accordingly.
In Solidarity.
This fundraiser supports the establishment of a medium-term safety net for a number of vulnerable trans and queer individuals, to cover rent, healthcare, and other expenses related to putting their lives back together over the next 2 months. This safety net will be organized and managed by a team of on-the-ground queer activists.
It is complementary to emergency LGBTQ+ aid and relief efforts in Beirut; excess sums to the initial goal will go to support these existing emergency initiatives.
The massive explosion of August 4 completely destroyed what had already been crumbling for years in Lebanon. Decades of corruption and devastating economic policies created the worst economic crisis the country has ever seen. On top of these two catastrophes, Lebanon is well into an intensified second wave of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of any governmental action, many of us have been working together to help people affected by the explosion secure food, housing, and emergency aid.
Most of our queer and trans friends were already unable to secure formal employment, permanent housing, or safe working environments in Lebanon. Existing aid efforts are providing needed emergency support (food, shelter, healthcare) to those affected. However, many people in our communities will be unable to get back on their feet after a few days, or a couple of weeks, of aid. We are running this fundraiser to complement current emergency efforts in a way that will provide people with a safety net that enables them to rebuild their lives.
Who are we? We are a group of queer individuals living in Lebanon. We have been working on establishing and supporting a grassroots local mutual aid effort where we share resources and support one another as we try to survive this crisis and build stronger communities. We work together to provide sustainable support to people in our communities, with a special focus on transgender and gender-variant individuals who lost their housing or income due to the recent devastation of our city.
The funds raised are used to provide necessary aid for queer, trans, and non-binary people in and around Beirut. This aid goes to rent, medication, and other urgent needs. The type of aid provided is determined according to each individual’s needs by the members of our mutual aid group, and made transparent while preserving the privacy of LGBTQ+ recipients. In this initial stage, we aim to raise $5000 to support 40 individuals over the next 1-2 months and help them weather the consequences of the blast.
We are building something that helps our community outlive this crisis: It’s a survival network but also a community that will sustain its members and remain intact for the long-term. The root causes of our current crises must be challenged; for they would otherwise go on repeating themselves. Through solidarity, we will resist despair and overcome this brutal devastation and the system that enabled it.
Please help us reach our goal by donating or sharing this fundraiser with your friends, families, and colleagues. Any additional funds raised will be channelled to other LGBTQ+ relief efforts in Beirut, and will be documented on this page accordingly.
In Solidarity.
Fundraising team: Beirut LGBTQ+ (2)
Rossi Habibi
Organizer
Toulouse, B3
Randa Shukr
Team member