On 4 August, an explosion in Beirut’s port shook the city and killed over 200 people, injured 6,000, left 300,000 without roof and caused serious damage to the city’s buildings .
The Litani Women’s Cultural Centre in Achrafieh, one of the worst affected neighbourhoods, was badly hit by the explosion.
Litani is a project of the local NGO PRODES, which was promoted and supported from the beginning by the Social Promotion Foundation.
Right after knowing of the destruction suffered by the centre, the Social Promotion Foundation quickly launched the “BEIRUT EMERGENCY: LITANI” campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the Cultural Centre.
Claude Comair, President of PRODES, informed us of the beginning of the Litani’s reconstruction work thanks to the donations received in the framework of our campaign and the help of other donors.
She sent us a letter of thanks addressed to all the people whose collaboration is making it possible for LITANI to once again develop its activity of leadership and support programmes for young women in the Middle East and their families.
Claude reveals:
“On August 4th all Lebanese suffered a terrible shock”…” And above all, the spectre of despair among the population: thinking that it is impossible to go ahead, that Lebanon has failed in its vocation as a country bearing the emblem of peace and knowledge of coexistence.”
The serious situation caused by the explosion, coupled with a serious economic crisis and the context of a pandemic, made them wonder, surrounded by rubble, how to get out of the situation.
This is what Claude tells us:
“But in the midst of the desolation, we have immediately felt the comfort of the solidarity of so many people around the world. A solidarity that has been translated into the desire to help financially, so that the Centre can stand up and resume its activities as an oasis of peace and spirit, in which so many women, mothers of families, and girls who are building their future, come to gain strength and inspiration.”
And she points out:
“Thanks to your generosity, we are not only able to begin the reconstruction phase by receiving financial support … But also the feeling of being accompanied is giving us the encouragement we need to start over, once again, despite everything, and to spread this hope to so many people around us, in one of the most difficult moments in Lebanon’s history.”
“We thank you, a thousand thanks, for helping us to start over.”
From Social Promotion Foundation we want to express our gratitude, especially to all those who have contributed with their donations to the “BEIRUT EMERGENCY: LITANI” Campaign.
The needs to continue supporting the reconstruction of the Women’s Cultural Centre are still high and the campaign to collect funds for this purpose continues to be operational through our campaign.