Phoenicia Finesse

Sandy's Story

They just left me. My employers took their kids, my passport, and all my papers to leave the country. It was just me, the house, and the sound of bombs. They didn’t pay me much, so I had very little money. I didn’t know where to go, but I knew I had to leave or I might die.

I grabbed my phone and a small bag with a few clothes and ran. I ran until I reached the city, where I found other workers like me. They were also left behind, with no place to go. We all just wanted to go home—if it was even possible. And if we could, we wanted to make it back alive.

Not a Unique Case

This is Sandy’s story. A domestic worker from Sierra Leone, she is one of thousands of women from West and East Africa trapped in the harsh reality of the Kafala system. This sponsorship program promises a better life, but all too often, it leads to exploitation. Like many others, Sandy’s passport was confiscated upon arrival, leaving her stranded and powerless, unable to return home.

These women are stripped of their basic human rights. Without a legal framework to protect them, they endure mistreatment and abuse, with no recourse for justice. Now, in Lebanon, as war rages, they face an even more desperate situation.

Silent Victims in a War Zone

The Kafala system, still practiced across many Arab nations, including Lebanon, leaves these workers especially vulnerable in times of crisis. As bombs fall and chaos unfolds, these women—already marginalized—find themselves in even greater danger. They feel the same fear, the same desperation to flee to safety, but with no rights and no way to escape.

While most of the aid pouring into Lebanon is directed toward local citizens, domestic workers like Sandy are left behind. Only a few projects exist to support these forgotten women in their hour of need.

How We Can Help

Though we cannot change the Kafala system, we can make a life-saving difference. Our mission is to provide these women with a way out. We are working to evacuate domestic workers, offer them shelter, and provide essential supplies as they flee for their lives. Phoenicia Finesse, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing menstrual health resources for women, is joining forces with REMAN (Réseau des Migrant-e-s d'Afrique Noire), a group of African migrants in Lebanon. Together, they are coordinating an emergency response to support these migrant women and their families amidst this crisis.

REMAN, which has been operating since 2021, has created safe spaces for migrant women and their families, many of whom are within or have escaped the Kafala system. Now, with the partnership of Phoenicia Finesse, they are working tirelessly to offer hope and assistance to those in need.

Your support will help us:

•⁠ ⁠Cover transport costs to help these women reach safer locations

•⁠ ⁠Provide essential subsistence, including food, drinks, and a community kitchen that will offer one or two meals a day

•⁠ ⁠Supply necessary medications

•⁠ ⁠Distribute personal hygiene items

•⁠ ⁠Provide mattresses and other essential needs for migrant shelters

These women deserve more than to be forgotten in a foreign land. They deserve the right to live in safety, dignity, and freedom.

Be Their Voice

We are here to be a voice for those who have none. Every person deserves the right to life, and with your help, we can ensure that these women, too, have the chance to survive. Your donation can offer hope to the hopeless and life to the forgotten. Together, we can help these women escape the nightmare and find safety and peace.