Battle Field of a Single Mother

Elham is a Lebanese single mother for four children, based on Bekka eastern Lebanon. Elham lost her ability to walk on her way back home from work, weather conditions were harsh in Bekka recently and Elham family have little to keep the family warm – ActionAid has supported Elham through the community-based women and youth led project. 

Elham lives with her three children two boys and one daughter and her oldest daughter is married, her husband abandons her six years ago to marry another woman.  She said: “I was alone, no one to help me to raise my children and I had to move fast for their future”. 

Houses cost were high and her monthly income almost paid for their daily needs, she used to work as a helper in a company, now she is a sales woman. 

Life was harsh, her two kids were in school and she couldn’t afford all their expenses. “I asked my husband if he can give us one room from his parents’ house, so we can save some money from the rent”, she said. Now she lives in one room with her three children. Everything changed dramatically when she was on her way home from work when a car hit her. Elham two legs were broken and since the surgical operation she had in May her legs are still the same, she is paralyzed.  

“everything around was black, my head was spinning, nothing seem right anymore”, Elham said, she need one more surgery for her legs that may help her, but the conditions and the costs were high. Elham 38-year-old daughter left her job to take care of her mother, because her two boys are attending school. 

Elham friends are family were supportive and around her, she said: “although the pervious phase was hard but the support of my family and friends was everything for me, they helped us financially too”. With the help of family and friends Elham family receive food and fuel vouchers from different local and international NGO’s.

Winter this year was bitterly cold especially Bekka valley, Elham house was cold and wet, fuel was expensive to fill up the gas heater and heating appliances were expensive. With the support of ActionAid and the help of ActionAid Arab Region community center in Jeb Jannin, Elham and her family received a fuel vouchers, “these vouchers came in the right time, weather was horrible and extremally cold and I was worry about heating the house”, Elham said.