For over a decade Lebanon has been host to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. Now it is dealing with a new crisis: unprecedented displacement of civilians following Israel's bombardment. As always it is the most vulnerable who are often overlooked.
Since 2016 Legacy of War Foundation has been supporting Syrian families with disabilities in Lebanon by providing housing and education. We are now expanding our work to support families from Lebanon and Gaza as they recover from injuries caused by the current conflict. Most have lost their homes, and once discharged from hospitals have no options for safe, hygienic accommodation during their rehabilitation. This leaves children with burns, amputations and other long-term disabilities particularly vulnerable.
Building on the experience we have from eight years of supporting vulnerable families in Lebanon, Legacy of War Foundation will deal directly with the landlords, pay utilities and regularly visit the accommodation as well as providing psychosocial support. Our aim is to take away as much administration and stress from the families as possible to ensure children are able to fully recovery from the impact of their injuries.
We will also be supporting The Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund. They are providing vital surgical interventions for critically injured children from Gaza and Lebanon. We will support their work in providing housing for these families during and after treatment.
On September 23rd 2024, Ivanna and her sister were playing outside their house in Deir Kanoun al Naher when an Israeli guided bomb hit a garage on the other side of the street. There had been no warning.
Their parents, Fatima and Mohammad, ran out into the street to find both children severely burnt. Paramedics rushed the children to the nearest hospital. When she got there, Fatima at first didn’t recognise Ivanna due to the severity of her injuries - but when she heard her crying, she knew it was her daughter.
Both children have recovered well, though Ivanna especially will have many months of rehabilitation and further surgeries ahead. With their house destroyed, and the government unable to provide appropriate shelter, Legacy of War Foundation will be supporting and housing Ivanna and her family - and others just like them - during her difficult rehabilitation.
Mohamad Ibrahim screams for more morphine and Valium. The nurses have already injected as much as his body can take. He screams for his mother and father. She lies in another ward fighting for her life with extensive burns. His father, along with his brother are dead. Nobody has told him yet. Mohamad is eleven. His aunt sits on the chair next to him
The next he is calmer. The pain in temporary remission. It comes in waves he tells us. We manage to rig the television in his room so he can watch YouTube videos of Real Madrid. It’s a distraction from the videos he watches daily of Israeli missiles hitting buildings. He shows me a video of his house being hit. It happened on 13th September. They pulled him from the rubble that day along with his mother.
