Lebanon’s Long Road to Recovery

After losing her son, mother, and brother in the war, Ruba Chamas returns to the ruins of her home with nothing left but grief and determination

Standing in the shattered remains of her home of 26 years, Ruba Chamas wears black, mourning not only the loss of her house, but of her mother, brother, and son, all killed during the recent conflict in Lebanon. When the airstrikes began, Ruba and most of her family fled. Her 24-year-old son stayed behind to care for their animals and protect the home. He was killed in a nighttime attack that left a crater where the living room once stood.

We lived here for 26 years. There was no warning before they hit the house. We lost everything.

— Ruba Chamas, South Lebanon

Ruba Chamas walks through the ruins of her bombed home.

Ruba and her family returned on the first day of the ceasefire, hoping to reclaim some sense of normality. But it quickly became clear that the area was far from safe. Now, rebuilding their lives will cost more than $100,000, an unimaginable burden for a grieving family who has already lost so much.

They are not alone. The 66-day war in Lebanon forced more than 1.5 million people to flee their homes. As the conditional ceasefire that began on November 27th holds, families are returning to towns and villages reduced to rubble.

My son had just finished university. He wanted to stay to protect our home, and to take care of the hens and chickens. He was trying to keep our life alive.

— Ruba Chamas

Across the country, entire communities are facing similar heartbreak, homes gone, loved ones buried, futures uncertain. The path to recovery will take years.

In response, Oxfam is supporting families like Ruba’s with practical tools to begin again:

Hygiene kits, including menstrual hygiene items
Clean water for drinking and daily use
Repaired and newly built sanitation facilities
Cash support for urgent hygiene needs
Psychological care and protection, especially for those most vulnerable

Even in the midst of devastation, Lebanese families are showing extraordinary resilience. And Oxfam is committed to standing beside them, for as long as it takes.