On August 4, 2020, at 6:07 p.m., Beirut was shaken by one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. A stockpile of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, left for years without proper safeguards, detonated at the Port of Beirut. The blast killed at least 218 people, injured thousands, and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

Five years on, the crater it left is still visible in the city’s skyline and in the trust between Lebanon’s people and those who govern them. Investigations have stalled under political pressure. Judges have been removed from the case. Senior officials who knew the risks have refused to testify. For many, the lack of justice has deepened the wound more than the blast itself.

Yet amid the grief and economic collapse, a determined effort by citizens to rebuild has taken root. In neighborhoods, workshops, farms, and cultural spaces, Lebanese citizens are restoring livelihoods, defending heritage, and creating new opportunities. Many of these initiatives are backed by Ideas Beyond Borders’ Innovation Hub grants, which provide small, targeted investments to projects that create lasting impact.

Mobility and Accessibility

One of the clearest examples is Able Taxi, Lebanon’s first wheelchair-accessible transport service. Founded by Paul Debs after his own life-changing accident, the project fills a gap in a country where accessible transport is almost non-existent. For many clients, it is the first time they have been able to travel to work, school, or social events without depending on friends or family.

With IBB’s backing, Debs has expanded the service to reach more neighborhoods and help more people reclaim their mobility, offering a measure of independence that had long been out of reach in Beirut.

Small Businesses Driving Recovery

Restoring freedom of movement is one part of rebuilding; creating ways for people to earn a living is another. Across Lebanon, entrepreneurs are finding ways to keep businesses alive, even in the harshest conditions.

In Beirut, Atelier Hartouka employs women from refugee camps and low-income neighborhoods to make artisan clothing and accessories. Co-founders Rasha Shukr and Nahida Tawbe have built the business into a lifeline for dozens of women.

In southern Lebanon, olive farmer Samer Hasbany is sustaining his family’s groves — some over 2,000 years old — despite border clashes and the risk of soil contamination. His olive oil has won multiple international awards for quality, and he is now diversifying into olive logs, a sustainable alternative to firewood, with IBB’s help. “This grant is an opportunity to push forward and get the new equipment,” he says.

In Tripoli, Andre Abi Awad is training young people to start their own businesses through his “Yalla Nebda” WhatsApp program, which delivers step-by-step entrepreneurship guidance to rural and marginalized communities. A veteran business coach and social entrepreneur, Abi Awad has worked with hundreds of aspiring founders, helping them turn ideas into viable ventures despite Lebanon’s economic collapse. “I don’t want ambitious people to stay poor… I want everyone to have the opportunity to become a successful business owner,” he adds.

Crisis Response and Humanitarian Support

Some of these same entrepreneurs have had to put their work on hold to meet more urgent needs, sheltering neighbors, feeding the displaced, and filling gaps in humanitarian relief.

When Israeli airstrikes displaced families in southern Beirut, Shukr and Tawbe — the same women behind Atelier Hartouka — turned their workshop into a refuge. Sewing machines and fabric bolts were pushed aside to make space for sleeping mats and cooking equipment. From there, they began preparing and distributing daily meals for 23 families who had lost their homes.

What started as a temporary response grew into a sustained relief effort, with the women sourcing donations, cooking in bulk, and coordinating with neighbors to provide blankets, clothing, and other essentials. “Many people are focused on the personal impact of the war, but Rasha and Nahida are channeling all of their energy and resources into helping vulnerable families who have no means of supporting themselves,” says Faisal Al Mutar, President of Ideas Beyond Borders. “That’s exactly why we decided to step in and back them up — because their work is keeping people alive, and giving them dignity, in the middle of a crisis.”

Cultural Preservation and Heritage

In Lebanon, culture is not a casualty of crisis but a form of resistance. For Beirut-based designer Micheline Abukhater, carrying it forward is essential to the country’s identity and resilience. A history teacher as well as a jewelry maker, Abukhater draws on centuries-old motifs and artisanal techniques in her work, creating pieces that honor Lebanon’s diverse traditions. “The essence of Lebanon comes from its different communities — it has always been a melting pot of people and cultures,” she says. “So many people are leaving. If I go, another piece of that heritage disappears.” With support from IBB, she opened an online store accompanied by a social media campaign to advertise her products and reach customers in Lebanon and abroad.

Nurturing culture also means keeping spaces alive where ideas can be shared and communities can gather. In Beirut’s Kaskas neighborhood, Lana Halabi revived her family’s historic Halabi Bookshop, first opened in the mid-20th century as a gathering place for students, writers, and intellectuals. Years of instability left it near closure. With IBB’s support, Halabi renovated the space, restocked its shelves, and began hosting literary events and workshops. “We get a lot of messages from the Lebanese diaspora saying how proud they feel. It’s really heart-warming,” she says. Today, the bookshop is again a hub for ideas and dialogue, one of the few public spaces where people can connect over culture in a time of deep division.

Skills Training and the Future Workforce

Keeping heritage alive is important, but so is preparing for what comes next. By developing skills for emerging industries, Lebanon’s next generation can build futures driven by opportunity rather than necessity.

At SE Factory, trainees are learning coding, web development, and other in-demand tech skills, preparing for jobs in Lebanon’s small but growing tech sector — and with companies around the world. Many graduates have gone on to secure remote roles with international employers, bringing much-needed income into the country. “There are so many youths in the country out of work, desperate for a job, and a huge demand for coding globally, so there is a clear gap that can be filled,” says SE Factory’s managing director, Ali Saab.

An Innovation Hub grant from IBB provided power banks so students could keep studying during Lebanon’s frequent blackouts, ensuring classes and assignments could continue without interruption. For many trainees, that reliability made the difference between completing the program and dropping out. The investment is already paying off: SE Factory graduates are contributing to Lebanon’s emerging digital economy, proving that with the right skills and infrastructure, young people can build futures that don’t depend on leaving the country.

Justice and Recovery

These initiatives do not replace the need for justice. The families of those killed in the Beirut blast continue to demand accountability, and court proceedings recently resumed after years of paralysis.

Recovery cannot wait for verdicts. It is being built every day by people repairing livelihoods, protecting culture, and creating opportunities for the next generation.

Justice will honor the lives lost. Rebuilding will secure the lives yet to come. By equipping people with the tools to create and lead, Lebanon’s future can be defined by the strength of its communities, not the failures of its politics.