One year later: Commemorating the Lebanon disaster – Kenyans’ candid Survivor voices and videos (never heard nor seen before)

Two enormous explosions devastated Beirut’s port on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 leaving at least 78 people dead and thousands injured, shaking distant buildings and spreading panic and chaos across the Lebanese capital. When this happened, hundreds of Kenyans trapped in a human trafficking situation took the opportunity to rise up and demand to be repatriated.  Owing to their fears of the deteriorating security and economic conditions in Lebanon they ‘stormed’ the Kenyan embassy, prompting the Kenyan government to send a special delegation to assess the situation. Furthermore, all of them were women who had been trapped into exploitation owing to abusive working environment and their inability to travel back to Kenya due to lack of travel documents. Many of them had been trapped in exploitative conditions for over 5 years.

Through the concerted efforts by CHTEA and her partners, a total of 129 Kenyans were evacuated/repatriated back to Kenya between September and November 2020. CHTEA can now for the first time bring you a comprehensive interview clip which provides you with an in-depth set of survivor and expert voices regarding the Lebanese situation as well as the dynamics of trafficking of Kenyans to the Gulf region at large.

You can listen and view the clip here How Kenyan Workers are Trafficked Abroad

 CHTEA & Trauma Counseling

Subsequent to their return, CHTEA has never been able to support the full total of 129 survivors towards their rehabilitation, reintegration and business start-up capital. CHTEA was able to give support to 60 survivors, most of whom were in total despair and had deep Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) conditions.  Some of them had to be referred to a specialist in Trauma Counselling. He is Dr L. Khasakhala, MD. Psychiatrist, PhD in Clinical Psychology and Lecturer at the University of Nairobi.  He has done tremendous work with us for over 8 years when we first took a post-Rwanda genocide survivor to him and he gave her excellent care.  Later she did some studies here and subsequently returned home a totally transformed 21 year old lady.

Special Donations Appeal

As a way of commemorating the first anniversary of the Kenyan Lebanese survivors, CHTEA is making another passionate Appeal for Donations in order to support the pending cases and restore some of the relapses. The average estimate cost of supporting one survivor is approximately USD$200 (psycho-social and business start-up capital).  Some also need school fees assistance to take their children who have been neglected in this critical area to re-enter education and help to break the cycle of poverty in the future. CHTEA will give an equivalent match to any contribution towards this cause. Any donations received will be receipted and full accountability will be provided with respect to expenditure. You can donate using the provided portal elsewhere on this newsletter (either through bank or PayPal). CHTEA will further acknowledge your donation by sending you an Honorary Certificate of Donation for Survivors of Human Trafficking.

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