This booklet brings together stories of young women who transformed silence into strength during some of Lebanon’s most challenging times.
Their experiences echo Eliannore Boutros’ words in her foreword; that even small acts of courage can “move a mountain when an entire community comes together.” These pages take you into the heart of grassroots activism: from Jeyetna turning menstrual justice into a national conversation through art and research, to Mayli creating a safe cultural refuge in Baalbek where stories of motherhood, war, and the body could finally be spoken. You will also encounter innovations like omgyno’s telehealth and self-testing kits, which offered dignity and accessible care to women cut off from traditional health services, and the refugee-led efforts in Bekaa that transformed a camp-school into a space for gender equality and social justice learning.
This booklet also stands as a tribute to the Community of Action, the feminist groups, local organizations, and rightsholders whose determination carried this work through economic collapse, conflict, and shifting social norms. Their creativity and persistence show that change in Lebanon is never linear, but always possible when rooted in solidarity and community care. These stories invite you to witness the quiet victories that ripple outward: a young woman speaking publicly about her body for the first time, a poem becoming a tool for collective healing, a telehealth call offering safety where none existed before. Together, they reveal a Lebanon where courage is not just an act, but a movement -nurtured by those who need it most and carried forward by those who refuse to give up.
