Nova Scotia

Halifax teens raise $40K for humanitarian aid in Lebanon

Jude Chedrawy and Samuel Bassil are among a group of Halifax teens raising money and spreading awareness about the conflict in Lebanon. Their organization is called HeartForLebanon HRM. The group has raised close to $40,000 since October.

“I’m happy that I’m able to help my home, my country, my people,” says 15-year-old Jude Chedrawy

Halifax teens raise $40K for humanitarian aid in Lebanon

9 days ago
Duration 1:56
A group of teenagers in the HRM has been fundraising in support of Lebanon, where more than one million people have been displaced due to conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. As Celina Aalders reports, the teens have raised tens of thousands of dollars for humanitarian aid so far.

A group of teens in the Halifax area has been fundraising and spreading awareness in support of Lebanon, where over one million people have been displaced due to conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. 

Watching the conflict from afar, 15-year-old Lebanese-Canadian Jude Chedrawy wanted to do what he could. That's when he came up with HeartForLebanon HRM. 

"These people … they don't deserve this, right? It's very inhumane and I believe that there needs to be something done about this cause," said Chedrawy, a Grade 10 student at Sacred Heart School of Halifax.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, but the devastation continues as both sides accuse each other of violating the agreement. 

A boy, 15, is looking off to the side. He wears a blue polo shirt and has short brown hair. He sits in front of a fire place.
Jude Chedrawy, 15, is a student at Sacred Heart School of Halifax and the founder of HeartForLebanon HRM. (Hans Fanfon/CBC)

During more than a year of fighting, tens of thousands of Israelis have had to escape their homes in northern Israel due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, while approximately 1.2 million Lebanese people have fled from Israeli air strikes and a ground invasion of the country's south. 

Since early October, Chedrawy's organization has raised nearly $20,000 through online donations in an effort to provide relief. The federal government, in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, has agreed to match those contributions.

"I'm happy that I'm able to help my home, my country, my people," said Chedrawy.

People carry a body as they walk on rubble of damaged buildings.
Civil defence members carry a body as they walk on rubble of damaged buildings, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon November 26, 2024. (Ali Hankir/Reuters)

All of the money will go toward the Canadian Red Cross humanitarian needs fund for Lebanon, which provides shelter, food, water, medical assistance and other essentials. 

A spokesperson for the Red Cross said they are grateful to community organizations that support their work. 

Samuel Bassil is one of several other students working with Chedrawy.

Bassil, 15, also has loved ones in Lebanon. He visits every summer, but his family cancelled their trip this summer for safety reasons.

"It hurts to see, cause you see people your age taken out of their homes, or living in the streets, or not able to go to school," he said. "It's very heartbreaking.… We're blessed here to live in Canada where it's peaceful, but over in the Middle East it's not." 

Bassil is not surprised at how much the group has been able to accomplish so far. He said anything is possible with hard work and determination.

A 15-year old boy looks off to the side. He wears a light grey polo shirt. He has curly brown hair and sits in front of a christmas tree.
Bassil is one of the several students working with Chedrawy on the fundraising campaign. (Hans Fanfon/CBC)

"We're just trying to help those who are suffering," said Bassil. 

For Chedrawy, his 12-year-old cousin who lives in Lebanon is top of mind. He said his cousin is safe, but he often sends text and photo updates of what's going on throughout the country. 

"It's just heartbreaking seeing someone like him needing to deal through this, or needing to worry about air strikes on a daily basis," said Chedrawy. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Celina is a TV, radio and web reporter with CBC Nova Scotia. She holds a master's degree in journalism and communication. Story ideas are always welcomed at [email protected]

With files from Reuters and The Associated Press