Growing up in Akkar,my father,a lawyer,had a profound influence on my life. He started his career as an auditor and,while raising me and my two siblings,went back to school to ea his law degree. I was incredibly proud to see him graduate when I was just ten years old. At the time,he was in his late forties,fulfilling a lifelong dream that he continues to cherish today. His dedication left a lasting impression on me. Although he never practiced law,remaining an auditor and managing a school,the decision was shaped by practical realities—he was a father in his late forties,and switching careers in a country with a volatile economy was simply too risky. His jouey inspired me to pursue the path he had longed for,as I came to believe that lawyers truly have the power to make a difference.
When I moved to Beirut to study law,I was optimistic about the role lawyers could play in helping people. Unfortunately,the economic crisis,political instability,and ongoing hostilities forced me to reconsider my path. I felt compelled to do more than just work at an office. I was in situations where I was pressured to pay bribes to push a file forward,and this made me feel complicit in the corruption that plagued the system. This was not who I wanted to be.
With a job offer in hand,I left Beirut and retued to my village,Cheikh Mohamad,believing I could invest my knowledge in my community. As a Programme Officer at the Akkar Network for Development (AND),I now work across various sectors,including development and humanitarian aid. Our focus areas include child protection,gender-based violence,livelihoods,and advocacy.
In my first project,working with vulnerable women,I witnessed firsthand the impact of our efforts. The change I saw in their lives contrasted sharply with my experiences as a lawyer,trapped in bureaucracy and cycles of corruption.
At AND,with the support of DRI,we advocate for youth engagement in municipal politics,focusing on public procurement and access to information. Since 2019,trust between communities and municipal workers has eroded. With municipal elections postponed,many young people feel unrepresented. It is crucial for them to connect with their communities and carve out spaces to express their criticism constructively.
From the outset of the hostilities,I knew we needed to be among the first to respond. It is heartbreaking to witness the plight of inteally displaced people,but I feel I am in the right place at the right time,supporting those in need.
As hostilities escalated,we agreed with DRI to shift our focus and allocate funds for emergency response. Together with a local youth group,AND distributed hygiene and dignity kits in collective shelters and set up a community kitchen. But there is still a significant need for support,with nearly 70,000 inteally displaced people within Akkar,including many children in such desperate circumstances.