Among the actions supported by AMU to support displaced persons in Lebanon , there is support for families and young people after the resumption of bombing in the country by Israel on March 2, 2026. This is the story of a boy who found shelter in the Casa Sant’Anna on the hills north-east of the city of Beirut, a twenty-one-year-old computer science student who arrived in the very first days of the emergency.
When war broke out, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes, Casa Sant’Anna opened its doors without hesitation. The center became a place to rebuild dignity, find serenity, and rediscover the value of brotherhood.
First escape, then reciprocity: helping displaced people in Lebanon
From the very beginning, the young man chose to transform the pain of leaving his home into a gesture of reciprocity: “I volunteered to serve people and meet their needs,” he says. “I chose to help out in the kitchen to fill my time productively and prepare food for everyone.” Together with the facility’s staff, his daily commitment helped create a climate of industrious collaboration.
While basic needs—safe housing, daily hot meals, and hygiene products—were guaranteed material safety, it was the human warmth that made the real difference. “The emotional support changed everything,” explains F. “Being surrounded by caring friends and volunteers created a reassuring atmosphere, which helped reduce stress and make us feel less isolated in such difficult times.”
Despite the strong sense of uncertainty about the future, community life at Casa Santa Anna has allowed for the creation of unbreakable bonds: “Meeting new people and making new friends has had an incredibly positive impact on me. We’ve become like one family,” the young man confesses.
An experience that transformed the way F. will look at the world from now on: “It taught me to appreciate simple things, like safety and community, instilling in me lasting hope and strengthening my faith in God.”
To those who support the reception activities through their generosity, F. extends words of profound gratitude: “I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. The donations have not only provided us with food and essential goods; they have given us security, hope, and the knowledge that we are not alone.”