Securing clean, reliable, affordable and sustainable electric energy to meet the needs of the people of Lebanon.
What does M.Powering Lebanon do?
By facilitating global support targeting Lebanon’s electricity crisis, the Mission for Powering Lebanon (M.Powering Lebanon) aims to build the capacity of the Lebanese electric sector in order to positively impact the lives of Lebanon’s residents.
We have organized international fundraising campaigns to provide sustainable electricity sources like solar panels to households in urgent need of a constant supply of electricity. We plan to gradually expand our efforts until everyone in Lebanon has a source of reliable, affordable electricity.
Lebanon’s worsening electricity crisis
*Photo: Beirut, Lebanon, 08/04/2020: Damage sustained by the Electricité du Liban building overlooking the Beirut Port after a massive explosion on August 4, 2020, caused by ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse.
Overview of Lebanon’s electricity crisis
Recurring political deadlocks in the country have long impeded any progress or serious reforms to the electricity sector among many others. The Lebanese people face daily power outages that last many hours, and they have lived with this for years.
To some, like people who have medical conditions requiring electric-powered devices, the blackouts are not just a nuisance; they are a matter of life or death.
The long-time patchwork solution for the daily blackouts have been subscriptions with private generator owners in each district or neighborhood of Lebanon. Now even this measure is facing serious challenges.
The Lebanese currency is facing a historical inflation rate, ranking Lebanon’s inflation at the third highest in the world. Inflation is limiting the imports of fuel as private generator owners are paying in dollars, which the Lebanese people cannot afford. As a result, private generator owners are rationing power or raising prices, just as the state electric company does.
The current model has failed a long time ago, and no solution is within sight. That is why we believe collective action is required.
Building on an outpouring of compassion
The catastrophic explosion in Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020, destroyed a large swath of the city, killing more than 200 people and leaving at least 6,000 homeless. Historic buildings, hospitals and Beirut’s port were significantly damaged by what scientists have determined was the fourth largest explosion in history. In response, numerous NGOs and thousands of Lebanese from all around the country rushed to support the people of Beirut. Thousands of Lebanese expats and friends of Lebanese internationally generously dug deep into their own pockets to offer financial help.
The generosity and compassion we witnessed following that catastrophe triggered our idea of M.Powering Lebanon. Combining the know-how of electrical engineers and other professionals willing to share their time and expertise with targeted fundraising, we believe we can, collectively, make a change.