This Is Lebanon
Donation protected
Our story:
'This Is Lebanon' was launched in May 2017 by a group of migrant domestic workers and friends. Since then we have become the hotline supporting domestic workers in Lebanon.
We know how they feel because we experienced it first-hand when we were migrant workers ourselves.
Many of the domestic workers we support come from low-income countries in Asia and Africa. They come to Lebanon to work, but often end up trapped behind closed doors. Like many countries in the Middle East, Lebanon has a kafala sponsorship system which has been widely criticised by human rights groups for its exploitative practices. Under the system, employers sometimes hold workers' passports, restricting freedom of movement. Many domestic workers in Lebanon are sexually or physically abused, their salaries unpaid, without any way to seek help apart from a fellow worker on a balcony above or below who relays the situation to us.
Through our Facebook page and other work including videos made by us, we have managed to secure the release of dozens of domestic migrants workers and ensured that they are able to return to their home countries safely. We have also helped to secure salaries for several workers who were not previously paid.
For example, we have managed to secure the release of Halima, a woman from the Philippines, who was enslaved for 10 years by a Lebanese politician (https://share.thisislebanon.org/halima-movie); and Sonam, a woman from Nepal who was also enslaved for 10 years by a doctor/vineyard owner (https://youtu.be/Dht5LOx5N-Y). Others have received their salaries (e.g. https://share.thisislebanon.org/Marcela-Gaba-is-paid-and-released).
From June to November 2018 we were contacted by 818 people seeking help or information.
What we need:
So far, we have financed the whole operation from our personal funds, including the making of the documentaries and film clips on our page. It is now too big for us to sustain from our own resources so we are reaching out asking for help.
We need funds to help us pay three full time case workers, pay air tickets for the filmmaker, cover some of the costs of IT, cover our communication expenses, and some of the medical costs e.g. forensic doctors' reports.
We have proven that we can achieve successful outcomes and have done it on a shoe-string budget. Any donation, big or small would make a world of difference to our work and the support of domestic migrant workers in Lebanon!
Contact us:
If you would like to know more about our expenses and where your money will go, please contact us on [email redacted]
And visit out website https://thisislebanon.org/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsLebanon961/ to see what we do.
https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsLebanon961/
'This Is Lebanon' was launched in May 2017 by a group of migrant domestic workers and friends. Since then we have become the hotline supporting domestic workers in Lebanon.
We know how they feel because we experienced it first-hand when we were migrant workers ourselves.
Many of the domestic workers we support come from low-income countries in Asia and Africa. They come to Lebanon to work, but often end up trapped behind closed doors. Like many countries in the Middle East, Lebanon has a kafala sponsorship system which has been widely criticised by human rights groups for its exploitative practices. Under the system, employers sometimes hold workers' passports, restricting freedom of movement. Many domestic workers in Lebanon are sexually or physically abused, their salaries unpaid, without any way to seek help apart from a fellow worker on a balcony above or below who relays the situation to us.
Through our Facebook page and other work including videos made by us, we have managed to secure the release of dozens of domestic migrants workers and ensured that they are able to return to their home countries safely. We have also helped to secure salaries for several workers who were not previously paid.
For example, we have managed to secure the release of Halima, a woman from the Philippines, who was enslaved for 10 years by a Lebanese politician (https://share.thisislebanon.org/halima-movie); and Sonam, a woman from Nepal who was also enslaved for 10 years by a doctor/vineyard owner (https://youtu.be/Dht5LOx5N-Y). Others have received their salaries (e.g. https://share.thisislebanon.org/Marcela-Gaba-is-paid-and-released).
From June to November 2018 we were contacted by 818 people seeking help or information.
What we need:
So far, we have financed the whole operation from our personal funds, including the making of the documentaries and film clips on our page. It is now too big for us to sustain from our own resources so we are reaching out asking for help.
We need funds to help us pay three full time case workers, pay air tickets for the filmmaker, cover some of the costs of IT, cover our communication expenses, and some of the medical costs e.g. forensic doctors' reports.
We have proven that we can achieve successful outcomes and have done it on a shoe-string budget. Any donation, big or small would make a world of difference to our work and the support of domestic migrant workers in Lebanon!
Contact us:
If you would like to know more about our expenses and where your money will go, please contact us on [email redacted]
And visit out website https://thisislebanon.org/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsLebanon961/ to see what we do.
https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsLebanon961/
Fundraising team (1)
Dipendra Uprety
Organizer
Zain Lawson
Team member