N.D., 52, is living in Ashrafieh with her parents with no income. She receives money from her family abroad.
“While I was in Sin El Fil, my parents were home when the blast happened. I was scared that something might have happened to them since they’re old and can’t protect themselves. I remember hearing people shouting, screaming, and panicking. I started crying thinking I lost the two people close to my heart since I wasn’t able to reach them. But thank God they turned out to be fine; however, I thought things will get better, but it got worse.”
As we spoke to N.D., we knew that her mom was already recovering from a stroke and her dad is in hospital for a planned heart surgery that costs 18 million LBP and they only managed to get an amount of 5 million LBP. Plus, they pay around 700 thousand LBP each month for their medication for chronic illnesses. Add to that, they pay rent from the money they receive from her cousins living outside Lebanon and her brother who is already in debt.
All she cares about is her father’s health which is a priority right now. After the blast, she felt hopeless and helpless, losing any kind of hope for the future. Their purpose in life might be summed up with one word: “survival.” It’s hard to watch someone struggle with their mental health knowing she could benefit from professional help.
N.D. is desperate – she can’t help her mom who’s recovering from a stroke or her father who is undergoing a heart surgery. It’s easy to say “Reach out for help, you’re never alone;” but despite what everyone says, you still feel alone and no one is actually helping. Unfortunately, when you don’t have a support system to turn to, you feel like you’re left out in this world.