Yazan Al Halabi, a senior student majoring in business studies at the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB), has trained and served as a Lebanese Red Cross paramedic for years. A student by day, he dedicated his time to responding to emergencies, helping save lives and providing disaster relief with skill and compassion. 

Amid the despair caused by the conflict, as a volunteer at the Hasbaya 701 Lebanese Red Cross Center, he worked for weeks at the Emergency Medical Services Center and the Disaster Management helping the displaced settle into government shelters, supplying mattresses, food, hygiene kits, and daily bread. “I am committed to my duties as a frontline medical personnel member,” he said, “it is my obligation to assist the injured and those in need.” 

Al Halabi is one of several AKSOB students who, individually or collaboratively, sought to provide essential resources to struggling families to spread goodwill and build a strong support system in the face of these challenges. Motivated by more than a sense of civic responsibility, they acted out of compassion for their people, wanting to ensure their wellbeing and give them hope.

The students’ experiences are extensive and diverse, from offering medical assistance and rescue to arranging donations and working with local companies and communities to provide much-needed supplies to displaced and impoverished families.

Yasmin El Souki, also a senior business studies student, found purpose and strength by volunteering to help those in need. El Souki took part in cooking and preparing hundreds of meals for the displaced people seeking shelter at various schools in Saida. 

“It was fulfilling to work over 12 hours a day to provide nutritious meals to the elderly, children and families who suffered the consequences of this war,” she said. “It is only right that we should stand by our people.”

These efforts not only meet the immediate needs of the displaced Lebanese families, she added, but also foster a sense of community and togetherness, reassuring them that they are not alone in their hardship.

In his capacity as a civil defense worker, Omar Dwayre, a first-year student in business studies, said that his commitment to supporting his community was behind his everyday activities as a member of the Lebanese Civil Defense. 

“I am trained to safeguard the wellbeing of others at all costs,” he said, “as frontliners during this war, we rescued individuals trapped in collapsed buildings, provided medical aid and protection for those in need and will continue to do so because we are part of this community and must be there for one another to manage this crisis and protect our fellow citizens.” 

Drawing on their skills and experience, the students strongly believed that any act of support, no matter how big or small, would contribute to the relief of those in need and build a stronger and brighter future for the country and its people, even if it entailed putting their own life at risk.