São Paulo – Created by Brazilian-born women who reside in Lebanon, the Brazilian Friendship in the Middle East Group (Grupo Amizade Brasil no Oriente Médio) is donating food kits, hand sanitizer, medicine, diapers and powdered milk to Brazilian families who are out of work and pay amid the quarantine.
The group made its first donations late last March, after self-isolation began. “We haven’t left the house for three weeks now. We have specific times to go out, and no one can be out after 5 pm. Only the drugstores and supermarkets are open, and it seems we’ll have two more weeks of this,” the group’s vice president Lívia Tawil (pictured, with a facemask on) told ANBA over the phone from Beirut.
Lebanon has 575 cases and 19 deaths from Covid-19, as per current World Health Organization (WHO) numbers. “It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a lot considering the country’s size,” said Tawil.
The group comprises some 100 Brazilian women who moved to Lebanon after marrying local men. They get together to keep their culture and traditions alive, as well as to help people out.
Tawil remarks that the country’s economy wasn’t going great as far back as October 2019, with demonstrations going on in the streets. “Now, the coronavirus has made it worse, because everyone is locked in, the country’s in a standstill. We have a lot of unregistered workers, women who do nails or bake cakes for. No one’s getting paid, so we decided to help,” said Tawil. A native of Salvador, Bahia who’s been in Lebanon for twenty years, she works as a tour guide, so she’s also out of work right now.
The group decided to extend its campaign to Brazilian families across all Lebanon. Incoming donations get delivered from Beirut via delivery apps, or by a private driver for destinations further from the capital. “We have helped some 15 families and we intend to help some more before the shutdown is over. This could last another month or two, we just don’t know,” she said.
To donate or to ask for help, please get in touch with the Brazilian Friendship Group on social media or by calling the number below.
Quick facts
Brazilian Friendship in the Middle East Group
Facebook
Instagram
gabnom@hotmail.com
brazilfriendshipgroup@gmail.com
+961 81 085 040
+961 70 201 502 (Lívia)
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
