On the 13th of April, 2019, recording artist and UNICEF supporter Dua Lipa visited the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Lipa came along with a senior delegation from UNICEF, including Ms. Tania Chapuisat, UNICEF representative in Lebanon. Lipa visited the areas of Bedneyel and Terbol in mid-Bekaa, where the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) delivers training programs for Syrian and Lebanese youth in partnership with UNICEF.
Lipa and the delegation first attended a briefing about UNICEF and LOST’s work in the Bekaa region, at LOST Bedneyel center. Afterwards, they spoke with beneficiaries from the GIL program who have started their own businesses based on seed funding from UNICEF. Then, they participated in a Competency-based Skills makeup class, where they met around 25 Lebanese and Syrian girls. Among those girls, Lipa noticed a Syrian girl applying makeup for another classmate, her name was Yazee. Yazee, a 15-year-old, chatted with Lipa and explained to her that she lives in an informal settlement in Terbol.
Born in London to Albanian parents, Lipa instantly shared a connection with Yazee, since she, too, fled war from Kosovo to the UK when she was a young girl, along with her parents. “This is personal for me. My parents fled a war-torn region and built a life for themselves in a new place. Also, each one of the refugee children I met have parents just like my own, who have tried to make the best decisions they could for their families”, stated Lipa. “I feel lucky that I was given a chance, especially from an immigrant family, to have been born in the UK and been able to live my dream, because I had that opportunity and I feel like every other child should have that opportunity too, to be able to be in a place where they can thrive and be the best versions of themselves”, explained Lipa.
When the delegation reached Terbol informal settlement, Lipa visited families and their children to get an overview about their living circumstances. The beneficiaries also welcomed her by singing one of her most known songs, “New Rules”. Lipa also visited Yazee’s family and talked to them about several issues such as the circumstances that got them to Lebanon, how they earn money, what they do for a living, if they wish to return to Syria, etc.
Lipa was very interested in what Yazee has been trained on as a skill, and her future aspiration. Yazee noted that she wishes to open her own makeup salon once she gets back to Syria, and she also does makeup for her family and friends. “You can read about the conditions or see the challenges on TV, but you don’t really feel the absolute dire circumstances for refugees from Syria until you see them for yourself”, stated Lipa. “However, the most powerful thing I saw was hope. In Terbol, I met a wonderful young girl called Yazee. She’s fifteen. She dreams of one day going back to Syria and starting a business applying makeup. Also, in spite of all of the excuses she could have to give up, she is still studying every day and practicing and learning her craft, so she can one day make her dream real”.
After meeting Yazee’s family, Dua participated in a Youth Basic Literacy and Numeracy (YBLN) class and talked to the beneficiaries before heading to Baalbeck to conclude the visit at the Baalbeck Ruins.
