Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation and Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children at UNHCR, has today tweeted the announcement of ‘Salam Beirut’, an emergency aid and relief campaign from Sharjah, which follows the tragic explosion in the port of Beirut, which has claimed over 150 lives and left an estimated 300,000 homeless.
‘Salam Beirut’ aims to bring relief to the affected populations; whose numbers continue to rise as Lebanese officials pick through the wreckage. The first phase of response will focus on providing medical aid, food and water supplies and shelter to victims, which will be mobilized by Sharjah-based global humanitarian organization, The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) in coordination with on-ground relief operators in Lebanon.
Furthermore, TBHF officials along with their local partners will carry out a detailed assessment of the damage to property to implement targeted activities to provide affected households with rehabilitation support including rubble removal, in addition to offering solutions to boost vital services like electricity, sanitation, plumbing and carpentry maintenance.
How to donate
Use the following channels to donate to ‘Salam Beirut’ and help save the lives of those left stranded by the disaster.
- SMS to https://bh.ikhair.net/ml/lebn
- Bank transfers can be made to Sharjah Islamic Bank A/C No: 0011-430430-024 IBAN: AE900410000011430430024
- Cheques and cash payments can be made by contacting TBHF on 0557574930.
For more information, visit TBHF’s official website https://tbhf.ae/.
What has hurt Beirut has hurt us all
Announcing the campaign on Twitter, HH Sheikha Jawaher wrote: “What has hurt Beirut has hurt us all”, remarked HH Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi, calling on all individuals and organizations in the UAE and worldwide to lend a helping hand. “Our brothers and sisters in Lebanon need us and we must do our best to fulfill our moral and humanitarian duty towards them. We know no other way but to stand firmly beside those who lost everything overnight – their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods and their safety – to this shocking tragedy.”
“The ‘Salam Beirut’ campaign follows the strong humanitarian spirit and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to stand by nations in their time of need. Through this campaign, we reiterate that Sharjah and the UAE are with every family and individual in Lebanon. Our communities are inseparable.”
Sheikha Jawaher stressed that Lebanon’s scientific, literary and artistic wealth has made it a go-to destination for intellectuals and creatives from across the world, noting it was time to protect this cultural and humanitarian jewel of the Arab world. “Lebanon deserves peace and security, and it is time to ensure its people have it.”
“We pray for Allah to have mercy on the victims, heal the wounded, guide those who are missing back to their homes, and give strength to those who lost their loved ones,” the TBHF Chairperson added.
From the moment the news of the accident became known to TBHF, the organization has ramped up efforts to contact its local and international partners to rally support and raise funds to deliver emergency aid and relief to those most affected.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health and Beirut Governorate, the tragic accident has claimed 157 lives, left more than 5,000 wounded and dozens of missing persons, in addition to causing grave material damage that affected homes of thousands of families whose houses were partially or totally destroyed. An estimated 300,000 people have been left homeless.