On August 4, 2020, a gigantic explosion of several hundred tonnes of ammonium nitrate took place in the capital of Lebanon. Over two hundred people died and several hundred thousand lost the roof over their heads in just one minute.

“Since then, we cannot eat, we cannot sleep. How long will this go on? Maybe a lifetime,” said Chouchan Yeghiyan, who lost her daughter in the explosion.

“The shock that an ordinary evening can turn into such a tragedy for hundreds of thousands of people is simply unimaginable,” said Father Przemysław Szewczyk, the President of the “Domus Orientalis” Association.

“People are starving, they have no clothes, they need to rebuild what was destroyed,” Father Dr. Mariusz Boguszewski from the “Aid to the Church in Need” Association added.

The outbreak deepened the economic crisis which the country had been suffering for years. The damage was estimated at several billion dollars. Thanks to fundraising and the work of volunteers, Polish humanitarian organisations systematically support those in need. Caritas Poland has already allocated EUR 22,000 for this purpose.

“We have sent three transports of airplanes filled with humanitarian aid. The funds that we have collected are donated to those in need,” Father Dr. Marcin Iżycki, the President of Caritas Poland said.

Doctor Wojciech Wilk the President of the Polish Center for International Aid announced that the organisation carried out renovation of apartments for those people whose doors and windows imploded due to the shock wave.

Second Lieutenant Agnieszka Bogdan from the Polish Military Contingent UNIFIL summed up that in the years 2020 – 2021, about 20 air transports with over 50 tons of humanitarian aid have been sent.