Stories from the war in Lebanon: The tiny baby born into a warzone
Meet baby A*. She was born prematurely, at just 7 months, into a marginalised neighbourhood in southern Beirut now targeted by IDF airstrikes. She weighs just 1.7kg (3.7 pounds) and lives in a single room without a door, exposed to the rats which are common in the neighbourhood and can pose a serious threat to health.
A’s parents live in extreme poverty but are doing everything they can to take care of their tiny daughter – and the staff at our partner, Tahaddi, are doing their best to provide follow-up care for this fragile baby. Her mother comes to Tahaddi’s centre every day to wash, change and feed her baby, as well as administer vitamins and sterilise the milk bottle.
Tahaddi told us: “A friend donated beautiful clothes for the baby but although they are for newborns, they are double her size! We are trying to find [the family] a room with running water.”
*Anonymised to protect identity