On August 4, a devastating explosion in the port of Beirut shook the Lebanese capital.
In addition to the great human drama – more than 180 dead, 6,000 injured and 300,000 displaced – and countless structural damages in the city, the violent decomposition of ammonium nitrate due to high temperatures released toxic gases such as ammonia and nitrous dioxide.
The use of the product is not only a matter of genetics, but also highly contaminating and harmful to health.
Given this situation, the Foundation launched the emergency campaign ‘SOS Beirut: breathing equipment’ to purchase 8 respirators to help 50 people with respiratory problems, for whom the presence of these gases in the air is a great risk.
Arcenciel, a Lebanese non-profit NGO, has carried out this action which supports the most disadvantaged and marginalized communities in Lebanon, without any kind of discrimination. Arcenciel is in charge of the purchase of the equipment and its subsequent distribution, and the Foundation has been working with it since 1996.
The generosity and quick response of many people in these weeks has allowed us to achieve the objective, and today Friday, September 11th, the president of the Social Promotion Foundation, Jumana Trad, has delivered the donation collected in the Arcenciel Jisr el Wati Center, with the presence of Elie Azzi, head of Jisr el Wati Center of Arcenciel; Ibrahim Barakat, head of respirators unit; Robin Richa, general director of Arcenciel; and Fady Moujaes, former director of Arcenciel.
From Social Promotion Foundation we thank you for your support, thanks to which we have covered the needs of many citizens of Beirut who suffer from respiratory failure in these moments of extreme difficulty.
Once again, we confirm that solidarity is key and the best guarantee of a better future for many people in the world.