Sabine’s story: Turning personal experiences into meaningful action
A note to the reader: In this article, Sabine reflects on her experiences in the past war. It was written before the Lebanon conditional ceasefire, but details of ActionAid’s support remain relevant as the situation continues to evolve.
“Are we going to survive? Will we be targeted? Are we going to be killed?”
These are the haunting questions Sabine Abiaad once asked her mother. Now in her forties, her teenage daughter and 12-year-old son ask her the same questions – a painful déjà vu for the mom who has lived through every phase of war in Lebanon. “I try to reassure them,” she says, “telling them we should be grateful because we still have our home. But the threat is everywhere – it hangs over our heads, day and night, like a constant, invisible weight that never lets us feel truly safe.”
The repeated airstrikes by Israeli forces on Beirut have left residents of the Lebanese capital living in a relentless cycle of fear, unsure when the next attack might happen. For Sabine, these feelings are all too familiar, dredging up the traumas of her own childhood. “Conflict and the psychological pressure disrupt every aspect of our daily life,” she explains, “leaving us in a constant struggle to adapt to unpredictable conditions, uncertainty and creating a constant state of mental fatigue.”
While many might feel paralysed by these experiences, Sabine chose a different path. Witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of war on her community inspired her to dedicate her career to addressing systemic inequalities and empowering those most affected by crises.
As the Regional Communications and Campaigns Coordinator at ActionAid, she focuses on amplifying the voices of communities caught in the crossfire. Her role involves creating powerful advocacy campaigns, sharing the stories of those impacted by conflict, and building coalitions to push for systemic change.
Through her work, Sabine connects with communities across the region, highlighting their resilience and ensuring their stories are heard on a global stage. She also works to mobilise resources and attention towards sustainable solutions that empower these communities, especially women and youth, to lead positive change in their societies – all while juggling her roles as a mom of two, TV producer, communication and media consultant, and women’s rights activist.
It goes without saying that her work at ActionAid is more than a job; it’s a mission born from the knowledge of what it means to live through war. These experiences have given her a profound empathy for those living through hardship and a determination to amplify their voices. They’ve taught her the power of resilience, the necessity of collective action, and the urgency of creating hope where it seems scarce.
Sabine says it best: “Every story I help tell, every campaign I lead, and every initiative I coordinate is an effort to ensure that future generations – my children included – can grow up free from the constant shadow of conflict.”
