LEBANON: Sisters giving hope to suffering girls
Girls and young women in Lebanon have received crucial support from religious Sisters to help them break free of brutality, destitution and abuse.
With support from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Good Shepherd Sisters in Naba’a, outside Beirut, have helped about 70 girls and young women “break the cycle of trauma” and escape violence and poverty, according to Sister Marie Akl.
She told ACN: “We help vulnerable young people, especially those who were born in poor families.
“These young girls are vulnerable due to their exposure to domestic violence, abuse, poverty, trafficking and other forms of mistreatment.
“The problems they face lead to violence, which has a devastating effect on their mental and physical health.”
Sister Akl said that girls growing up “in a very difficult environment” need help to “develop healthy habits” as well as “protection and psychological support”.
She added: “Access to mental health services is very difficult.
“We offer them sessions on their rights, to show them that they are strong and complete.
“We also organise sessions for families, to support parents and help them to protect their children.”
The Sister’s comments come ahead of International Women’s Day tomorrow (Saturday, 8th March).
Sister Akl explained that her congregation’s work is “crucial” because the girls “are often deprived both of education and of basic sustenance”, making it extremely difficult for them to “escape their situation of poverty and become independent, fully developed and responsible women”.
She added that the support provided by the Good Shepherd Sisters includes “personal defence classes”, as well as therapeutic “dancing and painting classes” to help disadvantaged girls and young women “develop self-esteem”.
She said: “Without support, they would be exposed to drugs, delinquency, prostitution or criminal gangs.
“They have suffered many traumas, they have anxiety, depression, attachment disorders, and they find it difficult to trust people.”
Sister Akl concluded: “They don’t have any stability at the moment.
“Most of them lack a safe and calm space in their lives, and it is essential that we provide them with it.”
In 2024, ACN assisted religious Sisters around the world with 936 projects worth more than £8.7 million (€10.4 million) in total.
The charity’s support included formation, subsistence aid and construction projects.
With thanks to Charlotte Halle & Lucia Ballester
