Among the many stories of solidarity that have reached us over the years and continue to reach us from Lebanon , there is one that vividly illustrates how human dignity can transform received support into reciprocity. For this reason, we decided to share this short story, which is truly important to us.
It all began in 2019, when the country plunged into an unprecedented financial and economic crisis. This dramatic situation, exacerbated by ongoing strikes, led to a severe shortage of medicines across the country, including lifesaving drugs essential for the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
In this context of profound emergency, AMU, together with the Focolare Movement-New Humanity, launched a support initiative to ensure the provision of treatment to those who could no longer afford it. Among the beneficiaries of this support was a Lebanese family, whose five members—the wife, husband, mother, brother, and sister—were entirely dependent on this assistance for their health.
From the care received to the value of reciprocity
Thanks to this constant support, the family was able to receive decent healthcare for over six years, until March 2026. When their financial situation finally improved this year, and they were able to purchase medicines in neighboring countries at more affordable prices than in Lebanon, these people chose to practice the profound value of reciprocity: their newfound well-being needed to be shared with the community and not confined within the confines of their own family.
This is where this story becomes one of Lebanon’s most significant stories of solidarity . Driven by a strong sense of responsibility towards others, the family decided to forgo financial support, requesting that aid be halted starting at the end of March 2026, to allow others to benefit.
Solidarity isn’t a one-way channel, but a circular flow: this is the true meaning of reciprocity. Receiving help in their time of need, this family then felt a moral duty to return it to the community as soon as they were able.
This family gave up their support in the name of reciprocity, and thus became an active part of the same solidarity network that had saved them years earlier, allowing other people in need to receive the same care they needed. This gesture can be counted among the successes of our projects.