Wafiq al-Hawari
Many people with disabilities in the city of Sidon and its shelters are still in need of various forms of assistance, which is not limited to securing the required equipment alone; they also need psychosocial support, positive communication, and a dignified life.
To date, there are no precise statistics on people with special needs, particularly those living in the shelters of Sidon. General information, however, points to the presence of different categories: those who hold a disability card issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs; those who were injured during the war and became people with special needs; and those who were involved in accidents that left them in their current condition. These cases range from physical, intellectual, and psychological disabilities to cases of autism. It is also noticeable that there is a conflation between the conditions and needs of the elderly and people with disabilities of various kinds.
"It is noticeable that there is a conflation between the conditions and needs of the elderly and people with disabilities of various kinds"
The Disability Committee of the “Coalition of Civil Society Institutions in Sidon” is currently conducting a precise survey across all shelters, in addition to those who can be reached in their homes, in order to identify each category of people with disabilities and the elderly and to determine the needs required. The urgent need of people with physical disabilities stands out, as many tools are unavailable, such as medical beds, wheelchairs, and water mattresses, in addition to diapers for people with disabilities and the elderly. The importance of hospital care for this group is also evident. Accordingly, the Disability Committee of the Coalition of Civil Society Institutions has taken the initiative to contact international donors to secure these needs, amid the failure of the relevant Lebanese ministries to carry out their duties.
In this field, there are successful experiences of associations that care for people with disabilities and rely on limited resources, among them the “Handicap UP” association.
Its head, Muzayyan al-Sabbagh, says: “We do not only secure the required needs; we also strive to provide a dignified life for any person with special needs who was forced to leave their home because of the war and the destruction that befell the south. Many of them arrived at the shelters having left behind their wheelchair, or the device that helps them walk, or their crutch at home, not knowing whether it still exists or not, especially after the policy of destruction that struck homes and towns.”
Al-Sabbagh adds: “We were active and helped many people during the 2024-2025 war, and now we are going through a new experience that is far more difficult than the first phase; many of the displaced are not optimistic about returning to their homes soon because of the ongoing war, and we face the responsibility of providing everything possible to people with special needs.”
On the association’s contributions, al-Sabbagh explains: “We distributed mattresses and blankets (covers) to people with special needs and their families, but unfortunately we did not find anyone to provide us with sufficient specialized equipment for them. Nevertheless, we managed to secure 50 wheelchairs, 28 walking-assistance devices, and 15 crutches, which were distributed to those in need, in addition to diapers for children and the elderly.”
Al-Sabbagh concludes by saying: “We at the association are continuing to provide support to people with special needs in all its fields and to secure the necessities of life for them, in the hope that we will be helped and given a hand in this voluntary work of ours.”
During field visits to the shelters, one discovers the immense needs of people with special needs and of the elderly as well, but it appears that the resources available to the associations fall far short of what is required, amid a complete absence of the relevant ministries.
