August 4, 2020. 5:55 PM Beirut local time. Triggered by a fire in one of the Port of Beirut’s warehouses, nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonate. The damage is unfathomable.
Rebuild Beirut
The August 2020 explosion at the port in Beirut rocked the city, destroying and damaging hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. With the destruction came the loss of 203 lives and many thousands of livelihoods, sinking many of Beirut’s most vulnerable even deeper into poverty and despair.
Partnering with local NGO Lebanon Reforestation Initiative, Empower Lebanon responded rapidly to the crisis, working to restore homes and provide short-term work opportunities for those affected by the blast.
Currently, Empower Lebanon is working to support the repair of five family homes in the Karantina neighborhood that were heavily damaged in the blast. The reconstruction will also support short-term jobs for 20 locals who were impacted.