A sixth-form student from Hendon cycled 125 miles from Birmingham to London last Saturday (15 August) to raise money for people affected by the recent disaster in Lebanon.
Eighteen year-old Muhammad Mahmoud, who is about to go into his second year of ‘A’ Levels at City and Islington College, helped raise funds for Islamic Relief UK’s Lebanon emergency appeal.
The appeal was launched in response to the recent explosion at Beirut port which killed at least 171 people, injured 6,000 and left an estimated 300,000 homeless.
Mahmoud said: “I was so shocked and moved by the footage from Beirut. I saw a video of a young lady in her wedding dress posing with her groom and a second later she was blown to the ground and covered in smoke. I was also shocked to see how hospitals were no longer functioning and were well over capacity and had run out of blood.
“There are so many people to feel sorry for in this situation: innocent people who’ve lost their homes, people who’ve lost family members. My family is originally from Libya, so I know how difficult life can be for people living through disasters.
“I really enjoy cycling – in fact it’s my main mode of transport so I’m pretty used to it. It’s very environmentally friendly and a good way to keep fit. I’ve done some long rides before – recently I went off to East Sussex and very much enjoy the scenic routes that cycling offers.”
The explosion has exacerbated the already severe economic crisis in Lebanon. For months many families were struggling to survive as the Lebanese currency value dropped, and the unemployment rate passed 30%. Nearly half the population is living below the poverty line.
Lebanon was in lockdown because of a surge in Covid-19 infections when the explosion occurred. Currently, there is enormous pressure on the health sector as four main hospitals were damaged and stopped working when the blast struck the city. Intensive care units are already at full capacity with Covid-19 patients.
Nidal Ali, Islamic Relief’s Lebanon Country Director, said: “Food insecurity is likely to intensify in the coming weeks. The country’s wheat stock for the next 18 months was stored in a warehouse near the port, and we are expecting bakeries to run out of flour within days, which will create a massive crisis.
“Most people have been able to find alternative temporary accommodation with families, friends and in their home villages or are staying temporarily in hotels. But the most impoverished – especially labourers – have nowhere to go and are completely without shelter or accommodation of any kind. Some are sleeping in the streets among the rubble. A few hundred have not been able to find any kind of shelter.”
Donations to Islamic Relief UK’s Lebanon appeal will fund an immediate emergency response and long-term rehabilitation. The initial response will focus on distributing ready-to-eat meals, hygiene kits and health assistance supporting people in need of humanitarian assistance who are currently sheltering in communal buildings such as schools, mosques and churches.
Mahmoud said that his Muslim faith is central to his desire to help out. He said: “Charity is something that is very close to Islam and its values and therefore as a human and as a Muslim I think it’s my moral obligation and responsibility to give back to people suffering.”
Donate to support Mahmoud’s fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Muhammad-Birmingham2London4Lebaon
Read more about Islamic Relief UK’s Lebanon Emergency appeal here: https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/lebanon-emergency/
