'Their safety matters too': Migrant workers hired by Lebanese families left abandoned, homeless and without passports amid Israel's attacks

Amid Israel's war in Lebanon, migrant and domestic workers — already marginalised by the oppressive Kafala system and racism — are now facing even greater peril. Thousands have reportedly been abandoned by the families they served, who themselves have fled the war-torn areas but left their hired workers behind.

Many are now struggling to find transportation to escape the conflict zones and do not have access to their personal belongings, including passports and vital documents, or even a phone to connect with others from their communities.

For local activists, abandoned workers are left isolated, vulnerable, and without the means to seek safety.

While the continuous indiscriminate attacks have impacted all members of the Lebanese population, marginalised communities such as migrant workers remain overlooked and excluded from most relief efforts. Many lack access to safe shelters, essential resources, safe passage, and information.

"Employers fled the country, leaving workers stranded without documents or access to their belongings"

Volunteers and organisations are working tirelessly on the ground to coordinate emergency relief. Their primary efforts focus on securing safe shelters and providing food, water, mattresses, and essential hygiene products to those in need.

The New Arab reached out to armLebanon, an anti-racism movement and NGO that advocates for the social, economic, and gender justice of migrant workers in Lebanon.

Kareem, an activist with the NGO, highlighted that the biggest challenges they are facing are the lack of shelters and the shortage of essential supplies.

Even when shelters are available, many refuse to take in migrant workers, exposing deep-seated racism and discrimination.

"People need to feel safe and welcomed," he emphasised.

Kareem also pointed out the troubling pattern of workers being abandoned — something NGOs have witnessed before during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion in 2020.

“Employers fled the country, leaving workers stranded without documents or access to their belongings. Some were even locked inside homes, further exposing their vulnerability and exploitation in times of crisis,” he told The New Arab. 

Activists and NGOs are urging the Lebanese government and international organisations to include migrant workers in their response efforts to the ongoing crisis.

Government-run shelters are currently only available to displaced Lebanese citizens, excluding non-Lebanese communities, including migrant domestic workers.

A group of NGOs is working to place displaced migrant workers in shelters across the country, considering factors such as capacity, safety, and willingness to accept them. Shelters are being arranged in areas like Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, Jounieh, and safer parts of Beirut.

'Their safety matters' 

Since the recent escalation of the war in Lebanon, some well-established migrant workers in safer areas have stepped up to coordinate rescue efforts. They are working on rescue plans to connect those stranded in high-risk areas and those abandoned on the streets to available shelters.

Kenyan migrant worker Marucha Felistas, founder of The Proud African Mama initiative, advocates for migrant workers' rights in Lebanon, particularly those suffering under the Kafala system.

She is currently helping rescue stranded migrant workers, by driving into war zones to bring them to safety.

“I have taken the risk of driving to far places in war zones to rescue a fellow migrant because their safety matters. Sometimes me and my colleagues feel overwhelmed by the fact that many taxi drivers cannot access the locations and if they do, they’re charging a lot which is too much burden on us,” Maruha told The New Arab.

“We are operating with limited resources but the calls are getting immense from the migrant workers who are at risk and under emergencies,” Marucha added.

Lebanon's migrants left in fragile state 

Dara Foi’Elle, Policy and Communication Manager at Migrant Workers Action NGO has been working on the ground recently due to the intensity of the situation and the sheer number of displacements.

“Some migrants are vulnerable to the extent that they do not know which village in the south they fled from. We are noticing many cases of trauma and no access to shelter or psycho-social support, further exacerbating their vulnerability,” Dara explained to The New Arab about the situation.

Her NGO facilitates communication between migrant community leaders, migrant workers, and bus drivers, connecting them to other organisations and volunteers who can offer hygiene products, food packages and transportation while also pushing fundraising campaigns. 

“We want to eliminate the gaps of communication barriers and raise awareness to make sure they are acknowledged by the local community and other NGOs,” Dara explained.

According to Dara, although migrant community leaders are well-established and knowledgeable about available resources, they are exhausted from the immense responsibility during these tough times.

“But without them, NGOs would struggle to operate effectively on the ground," Dara adds, "as these leaders are the key facilitators between the organisations and the migrant communities. They carry a heavy burden because if they don’t respond to requests, no one else will.”

Insights from migrant workers

Shelbi, an Ethiopian migrant, came to Lebanon three years ago to work for a family in a village in Tyre, a city now heavily hit by Israeli aggression. Suddenly, the family evacuated, telling her to stay with a Syrian gardener, Mahmoud, and his wife until things calmed down.

On September 23, she experienced one of the scariest days of her life as bombs rained down nearby and a missile struck a neighbouring house, shattering the glass around her.

“I am grateful that I am not on the streets, but I came here to earn an income, not work for free, as I have a family that relies on me” 

In the chaos, she left without packing, taking only a cardigan, $25 and her phone, while her passport and official documents were left behind.

“I travelled in the back of a pickup truck with Mahmoud and his wife and witnessed the chaos and terror of the attacks," Shelbi told The New Arab. 

“I was dropped off at the Damour Highway after a 12-hour journey and I contacted my cousin to get her help as she is the only one I know in Lebanon,” she added.

Shelbi is now staying in Mount Lebanon with the elderly parents of her cousin's employer in exchange for free labour.

Shelbi wants to return home but is waiting for her passport to be sent back to her from the family she worked for who have fled to Dubai, uncertain of when that will happen.

“I am grateful that I am not on the streets, but I came here to earn an income, not work for free, as I have a family that relies on me,” Shelbi said. 

Her story reflects the experiences of many migrant workers facing abandonment during the war. The International Organization for Migration estimates around 176,500 migrants live in Lebanon, but the actual number is believed to be much higher.

No other option but to stay and pray

Bangladeshi worker, Shahinaz, who has lived in Lebanon for 16 years, was working for a family of five in the town of Marjaayoun, in southern Lebanon, when intensified Israeli attacks forced them all to evacuate to Beirut.

However, the family she worked for dropped her off at Martyrs Square in Beirut, where she was left surrounded by other panicked migrant workers unsure of where to sleep or go.

In her search for safety, she met a group of Bangladeshi women who had taken shelter near the Mohammed Al Amin mosque, all questioning their safety and future.

“After spending three nights on the streets, I called a friend in Tabarja, which is an untargeted area, and she welcomed me into her already crowded apartment until I sorted my situation out,” Shahinaz told The New Arab. 

Shahinaz is now looking for freelance jobs to help cover rent and expenses, feeling like a burden on her friend.

Unable to return to Bangladesh due to the cost of a ticket and ongoing medical expenses for her sick son, Shahinaz feels trapped.

“I am thankful for the shelter I found, as others I met in Beirut are telling me about the very difficult conditions and sleepless nights from constant bombings," she added. 

Activists interviewed in the article noted that the exact number of displaced individuals in each community remains unclear, and there is no information on the number of migrant workers killed in the war.

The Ministry of Health does not specify whether the reported death toll includes only Lebanese or also Syrian and other migrant workers.

“To my knowledge, no evacuation trips have been organised yet, mainly due to the exorbitant cost of tickets. No migrant worker, embassies or NGOs can afford these prices,” Dara explained.

"We're talking about $2,000 to $3,000 per person, not including legal fees for penalties on expired visas. This makes the process very slow, with only exceptional cases able to leave."

With limited salaries, live-out workers earn $5 an hour and live-in workers make between $150 and $450, most average around $200 to $250, so for the activists, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could afford a flight ticket while still covering other expenses.

Rodayna Raydan is a Lebanese British journalism graduate from Kingston University in London covering Lebanon

Follow her on X: @Rodayna_46