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Dear John, The pictures and stories coming out of Beirut overnight have shocked the world. Thousands of people in the Lebanese capital are in urgent need of medical care. Hospitals are turning away patients because they are completely overwhelmed or have been decimated in the blast. Save the Children teams on the ground are reporting entire streets wiped out. Children are unaccounted for as national rescue teams work through destroyed buildings to get people out of the rubble. It's a truly desperate situation. Please support the Lebanon Children's Relief Fund.
We know from experience how critical each hour is in emergencies like this. Children will be alone and scared now. Families will be grieving. Parents will be looking desperately for any sign of hope. Jad Sakr, Save the Children's Country Director in Lebanon, said, "According to reports in the media, around 300,000 people have been left homeless. That means well over 100,000 children have seen their homes destroyed and lost everything they had. At the same time, they were being told they temporarily couldn't go outside because of the toxic gas emanating from the blast scene. Injuries such as cuts and external bleeding are not being treated at hospitals because almost all Beirut's health institutions have reached full capacity." "The explosion could not have come at a worse time: during an economic collapse, just a day after COVID-19 lockdown lifted in Beirut, and just before a new lockdown would have come into effect. Many people used this window of opportunity to go running, or just socialize and hangout at the seaside and escape their worries - very close to where the explosion happened." Our teams in Lebanon are already working so hard to protect the most vulnerable children during this pandemic, and while the country is already facing economic collapse and political turmoil. Your support will make sure our staff and volunteers are able to reach the most children and their families at this crucial time. Save the Children |
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