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” The explosion was so powerful that it threw my son and me against the wall. We assumed it was a rocket that struck our house, and I was screaming my heart out, losing control and not comprehending what had occurred. My hand, back, and feet were fractured, and I had to undergo multiple operations till today to recuperate.“
My name is Liza, I am a 41 years old Lebanese from Ashrafiyeh Beirut, but I currently live in Burj Hammoud with my husband and son. I studied esthetic and cosmetics, and I am the owner of a beauty institute.
The biggest trauma I have experienced was the Beirut Port Explosion on August 4, 2020. I still vividly remember that day.
I was at my father’s house in Burj Hammoud which is an elevated house that faces the port. It was the 40 days memorial of my mother passing away.
We were on the balcony, and I was cleaning, when we heard the sound of the first explosion. I thought it was a plane hitting a rocket, and as we were trying to understand what happened, the big explosion hit and we saw the huge smoke coming out of the port.
The explosion was so powerful that it threw both my son and me against the wall. We continued to experience the aftermath of the explosion, first the wave, then the sound of the explosion, and finally the building shuddering like it was an earthquake.
We assumed it was a rocket that struck our house, and I was screaming my heart out, losing control and not comprehending what had occurred. My hand, back, and feet were fractured, and I had to undergo multiple operations till today to recuperate. I was numb at first and I couldn’t feel the pain, but after a few hours, I was in excruciating pain. As my father took my wounded sister to the hospital and my husband went to his parents’ house to check on them, I was left alone with my kid, whom I tried desperately to console.
My defense mechanism set in when my husband informed me that my store and house were being demolished. I panicked and began cleaning my parents’ house to remove the dust and the remaining residual of the nitrate. When I returned to my house on the second day, I was startled by what I saw- a complete devastation. My father, as well as my child and I, were all depressed.
” I went numb. After the explosion, I couldn’t feel anything. I felt helpless, and I lost contact with the reality. Before the explosion, I was a vibrant and confident woman, but thereafter, I began to live in a constant fear of something bad happening.“
I went numb. After the explosion, I couldn’t feel anything. I felt helpless, and I lost contact with the reality. Before the explosion, I was a vibrant and confident woman, but thereafter, I began to live in a constant fear of something bad happening. To this day, my son is still in shock and has difficulty sleeping at night. I also had difficulty sleeping for more than seven months after the explosion, I remember sleeping for only an hour after the sun rose every morning, whereas the nights seemed endless.
I Stand For Women is a Lebanese organisation that assisted me in renovating my business after the explosion, and during one of our meetings, they informed me about Intisar Foundation and the economic empowerment programme it was offering. A few days later a representative from the Foundation called me to explain more about the programme and how drama therapy works. I chose to join because I needed this kind of support to overcome my trauma, so I took a chance and joined the programme, I enjoyed it so much that I used to look forward to the weekly meetings.
” The Intisar programme assisted me in regaining my confidence and getting back on my feet. I had a general idea of what I should do but I was stuck, and the programme alleviated this stress and assisted me in getting back into a productive daily routine and taking care of myself. Even my therapist saw a significant difference in my mental health.“
The Intisar Foundation programme assisted me in regaining my confidence and getting back on my feet. I had a general idea of what I should do but I was stuck, and the programme alleviated this stress and assisted me in getting back into a productive daily routine and taking care of myself. Even my therapist saw a significant difference in my mental health.
The variety of activities were both enjoyable and inspiring. It was pleasant, and my mental health improved dramatically after the end of the programme.
I started doing small actions to take care of myself. I felt as if I had regained my self-confidence, that I could once again be the leader and initiator that I had been prior to the explosion. Seeing the problems of the other participants and how much they lost, including loved ones, brothers, husbands, and friends, made me feel fortunate and motivated me to get back on my feet. I consider myself lucky and grateful.
During the activities, I did things I had never done or considered doing before, neither as a child nor as an adult. This piqued my interest, prompting me to want to learn more about myself and my abilities, to let go of my trapped emotions, and to better manage my anxiety. I embraced the programme’s optimism and brought it with me to my home and daily life. The programme assisted me in diverting my attention away from negative thoughts and towards more positive ones.
I am normally a quiet person who seldom expresses herself, and I cope with my emotions on my own. Nevertheless, the Intisar Foundation programme assisted me in becoming more vocal in my life, which benefited me in my relationships and personal life.
I would encourage every woman to participate in the Intisar Foundation programme which will help them overcome their traumas, become more self-assured, gain more confidence, and overcome any challenge that they might face.
” I am normally a quiet person who seldom expresses herself, and I cope with my emotions on my own. Nevertheless, the Intisar Foundation programme assisted me in becoming more vocal in my life, which benefited me in my relationships and personal life.“
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