When Safety Isn't a Choice: The Hidden Impact of Conflict on Migrant Families in Lebanon

As conflict intensified across Lebanon, many families packed what they could carry and fled in search of safety. But for migrant workers, the choice was often far more complicated. Without access to transportation, savings, or a support network, many found themselves trapped between danger and uncertainty.

Some stayed in areas affected by hostilities out of a lack of choice. Others took enormous risks to move, travelling through insecure areas because there was simply no alternative. Every decision carried consequences.

For many migrant families, the fear extended far beyond physical safety. Parents worried about how they would feed their children. Women and children struggled with the psychological impact of displacement and repeated exposure to risks and violence. Families who had already left everything behind once faced the possibility of losing it all again.

"When people ask why they didn't leave, they don't understand that many migrants had no choice," says Banchi Yimer, founder of Egna Legna, a migrant-led organization and partner of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). "We lost members of our community because they had to travel during the day at the height of the conflict. Others stayed because they had nowhere to go, no transport and no way to afford high rent prices. Even when people survive, the trauma and fear stay with them."

For migrant communities, displacement often comes with additional challenges. Families reported being pressured by landlords to continue paying rent to avoid having their belongings removed; all while not being able to work during their displacement. Those who sought refuge elsewhere risked harassment or exploitation. Accessing healthcare was difficult, and many struggled to find reliable information. Many migrant workers also lack legal protection because their identity documents are often held by employers, and their ability to work and remain in the country is tied to employer sponsorship, leaving them at greater risk of exploitation and with fewer options to seek safety during crises.

This is where Egna Legna became a vital lifeline. Trusted by the communities it serves, the organisation established a multilingual hotline in five languages, allowing families to call for help and explain their needs. Behind every call was a different story: a mother trying to keep her children safe, a person with a disability unable to evacuate, or a family struggling to access food, shelter or medical care. To respond to these diverse needs, Egna Legna provides a range of support, including food assistance, hygiene products, bedding and other essential household items, helping families meet their immediate needs while preserving their dignity during displacement. Egna Legna’s inclusive programmatic approach has helped them reach 9,721 individuals since March.

"There is no one-size-fits-all response," explains the founder. "Every family has different needs. We speak with them, understand their situation, and then try to find the right support. That trust is what allows us to reach people who might otherwise be invisible."

Working alongside DRC, Egna Legna has provided emergency assistance to between 80-100 migrant families affected by the conflict, and their work continues as the impacts of the conflict persist. Their teams deliver food, mattresses and blankets to displaced households, including through regular distributions to vulnerable families in areas heavily impacted, such as Saida. These items offered more than physical relief; they provided comfort, dignity and a sense that someone had not forgotten them during challenging and isolating moments.

The partnership demonstrates why local organisations are indispensable during crises and why DRC continues its commitment to working with local organisations to reach more affected populations to address the needs on the ground. Because Egna Legna is rooted in migrant communities, it understands the barriers they face and the fears they carry. This local knowledge enables a faster, more responsive, and more inclusive humanitarian response, ensuring that some of the most vulnerable affected by the conflict are not left behind.

Before the conflict, Egna Legna focused on helping migrant workers build brighter futures through skills-development programmes, including training in crochet, clothing production, candle-making, soap-making, accessories and food preservation. After the re-escalation in March 2026, the organisation quickly adapted, transforming community networks built over years into channels for emergency assistance. During DRC’s visit to Egna Legna’s distribution site in Beirut, a clear message was inherently shared without any effort; the importance of community. The women gathered at Egna Legna's centre know that recovery does not happen overnight. The fear, uncertainty and financial hardship brought by the conflict do not disappear. Yet every hotline call answered, every blanket delivered and every family reached is a reminder that solidarity endures. Through DRC's partnership with Egna Legna, migrant communities are not only receiving support, but they are finding a community that sees them, listens to them and stands beside them as they rebuild their lives.