From Sadness to Smiles: Providing Comfort to an Elder

Ahmed Dabbour was a young boy when he fled Palestine during the Nakba and he was a grandfather when the Syrian conflict forced him to move to Lebanon. His life has been bookended by these traumatic experiences and his life in Lebanon is marked by ill health, poverty and a sense of loss.

When our field office team met him during our winter aid distributions, he was living in a poorly fitted shack and was unable to afford a vital operation and medications.

“I hate my life now, and I wait for death to come. My house is next to the cemetery and I think that dying will make me relieved.”

Living in pain every day and being unable to provide for yourself had taken a toll on this proud elder and our team were keen to do more to help him. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have raised enough to cover the cost of his operation and moving him to better accommodation that can be improved for him with furniture and appliances.

We will also be providing him with ongoing support for food aid and medications.

Our Projects Manager, Nadine, reported that Ahmed was very happy to have UKC4C help him and that he was joking and smiling with them like only a charming elder can!

Although Ahmed remains vulnerable due to his refugee status, and his scars are deep, the solidarity and kindness that our supporters showed him provided a much needed boost of hope. Ahmed knows that he isn’t alone and he isn’t a burden. There are people thousands of miles away who felt his pain and wanted to help him feel healthier and happier.

There are many other refugees like Ahmed in Lebanon, and we are committed to supporting as many of them as possible and not letting people fall through the gaps and suffer alone.

If you would like to provide support for Ahmed and others like him, please get in touch with us.

Ahmed’s house being renovated and made safer for him.

Our team letting him know how else we will be helping and thanking him for letting us support him.

Ahmed’s wheelchair to improve his mobility and comfort.