As the escalation intensifies in Lebanon, we are sharing the stories of those affected by Israel’s attack.
Marwan* is a 12-year-old boy who lives with his mother Zainab* and older sister, Merna, in a modest rented flat in the city of Saida, south Lebanon. Their life is simple, almost too simple, as their mother struggles day after day to make ends meet and bring a glimmer of happiness to her children’s lives.
Marwan and his 15-year-old sister are students, while Zainab is jobless and suffers with a herniated disc. She depends solely on humanitarian aid, including Islamic Relief’s Orphan Sponsorship Programme, which provides a regular stipend to help her care for the children.
A difficult life
Making friends isn’t a challenge for Marwan, but he is selective about who he befriends – in the past he has suffered bullying because of a speech impediment. He is a kind, thoughtful boy who appreciates calm and kind people.
Marwan’s health is poor, however. He is a sick boy who frequently visits the doctors. He has had kidney failure and recurrent blood and urine infections since birth. He only has 1 functioning kidney and is needs to take daily medicine. His case is critical, and he requires regular check-ups meaning he doesn’t get to live a life like other children his age.
The last thing a boy he needed was for his and his family’s situation to be suddenly made worse.
A terrifying ordeal
The whole family were at home when the Israeli rocket hit.
Marwan was in his bedroom, while Merna was in the living room and their mother in the kitchen preparing a breakfast they wouldn’t get to eat.
As the rocket caused massive damage to their building, Marwan and Zainab were severely injured. Merna emerged unscathed but deeply traumatised.
Zainab has since undergone numerous surgeries to have her colon removed and to repair the damage done to her abdomen and liver. There are also several fractured bones in her body that will take a long time to heal.
She remains in an intensive care unit in a critical condition.
Marwan also underwent surgery to repair shrapnel damage to his chest and thigh, and is now out of hospital, staying with an aunt. Thankfully he is recovering, but has to take even more medicine than before.
Praying for recovery
Despite her dire condition, Zainab’s thoughts have never strayed far from her children. Every moment, she prays to survive this ordeal, not for herself, but for her children. Having already lost their father, the fear of leaving them alone in this world breaks her heart.
The family used to have a home but now everything has changed.
The family endured a terrifying ordeal, unsure if they would survive it. They have lost everything, and as attacks escalate even further, the path to rebuilding their lives feels incredibly long and difficult.
Please help us support people like Marwan and his family by donating to our Lebanon Emergency Appeal now.
*Names changed to protect confidentiality