Emma Sleiman & Zahraa Issa
Supporting victims of the Beirut explosion
About
On 4 August 2020, a devastating explosion in the Port of Beirut left more than 200 victims dead, more than 6,500 wounded, and roughly 300,000 displaced from their homes.
Emma Sleiman and Zahraa Issa, who were 15 and 20 years old at the time, co-launched Locate Victims Beirut to help families and friends find their missing loved ones after the tragedy. Within 36 hours of its launch, their Instagram account garnered nearly 100,000 followers. In response, they assembled a team of volunteers to track missing, found, and hospitalized victims.
Work
The explosion left many homes without windows, doors, water, or electricity, and some suffered significant structural damage. Hospitals in the city were destroyed. In addition to this catastrophic event, the Lebanese people were facing an economic crisis, political unrest, and COVID-19.
In response, Zahraa and Emma engaged in several fundraising efforts to provide victims of the explosion with resources such as free shelter, humanitarian aid, and psychological support.