Diana, 22, volunteers with FoodBlessed NGO
Her testimony is part of our series on Being a young Lebanese in 2020, highlighting your dreams and preoccupations in these crazy times we are living.

“I’m terrified at the idea that people will lose hope in the country, and that as a result it will sink down further. I’m way more afraid of the economic crisis than of the Covid19 pandemic. You can avoid getting sick, if you wear a mask and wash your hands. But you can’t avoid the crisis. 

And it scares me. I’m afraid that there will be only 2 social classes left in Lebanon: the rich and the poor. The middle class was already almost extinct anyway. Now I’m afraid that even more people will go hungry. Some people can’t even afford a bag of bread! 

One of the biggest challenges I had to face was when I lost my job 9 months ago because of the crisis. I used to work in a playground.
Losing my job meant losing my independence, and losing my ability to help my family with the expenses. It pains me to not be able to contribute. These days,  I rely on my sister’s help, and I only spend what I need to spend. 

I’ve been volunteering  since I was in college, first with the Red Cross. In January this year, I started volunteering with FoodBlessed, an NGO that distributes food to people in need. I collect and distribute food for them. I was shocked by the number of people who truly have nothing to eat. I knew it, at an intellectual level. But it’s different seeing it live. 

Helping people in need makes me feel useful and  it benefits me a lot : it shapes my personality, makes me meet a lot of people, and makes me realize how lucky I am to have a roof over my head and clothes to wear. I learned to work under pressure, to handle responsibilities. 

I still hope that I can build my future here in Lebanon, even if some day nothing seems to work. My future might not look very clear today, but I want to be here. My dream is to become a lawyer for a NGO in Lebanon. 

When the Covid19 pandemic will be over, I hope I’ll be able to resume my internship, find work, and continue volunteering, of course. 

This is what helps me fight despite the challenges: I get something out of it  that I can’t find anywhere else: a very special relationship with people.” 

Diana, 22, just graduated in law studies. She started volunteering with the Red Cross when she was in college. And since Jan she volunteers with Foodblesseed NGO, where she helps collecting and distributing food to people in need. For more info about Foodblessed and how to help them, it’s here.