Hussein never imagined he would be starting over from scratch.
Hussein, 54I used to live in the south of Lebanon with my wife and children. But our home was destroyed during the recent war, forcing us to flee with nothing. Life isn’t what it used to be. Everything has changed.
Now internally displaced, Hussein and his family are trying to rebuild their lives in Burj Hammoud, a neighborhood in Beirut. But it’s not easy. He is living with diabetes, and the strain of displacement has only worsened his health.
“As I get older, I feel my body failing me,” he admits. “But I try to stay strong for my family.”
Local organisations such as IDRAAC stepped in when they needed it most, providing essentials like blankets, mattresses, and food. “They even held psychosocial support sessions for my wife and other women in the neighborhood. My son, who is ten, took part in football games. He’s happy here. That makes me happy as well.”
But Hussein carries a heavy burden. His wife works as a housekeeper, but their income isn’t enough. “I can’t pay rent. I can’t afford to buy my children the things they need. That breaks me. If I can give them what they need, I will be happy. That’s all I care about—my family’s happiness.”
For Hussein, like many older people in Lebanon, the future is uncertain. “We have nothing secured. If we get sick, there’s no one to help. No medicine. The government is absent.”
Still, he holds onto one hope: to return home.
“I feel grateful here, but I want to go back to the south. I want to rebuild my life. We will never forget how the people here welcomed us. And one day, I hope to welcome them into my home in the south.”