FADIA JUMMA

Beirut- Lubna Ezz Eldin is a Lebanese woman, who achieves many successes despite all the obstacles. Born in Deir Qanoun En Nahr, a town in the Tyre area, south of Lebanon, she left her hometown after getting married when she was 19. After living abroad for years, she returned to her hometown.

“My long career began in Ivory Coast when I ran for the Lebanese community elections in 1984, when men only ran for elections. I am the first woman running for the elections in my hometown. I ran for the elections because I believed that I had the ability to offer a lot for the Lebanese community,” said Lubna Ezz Eldin, who founded a Lebanese-African school that brings together members of the Lebanese community and African citizens in order to strengthen communication between them.

Despite her pregnancy, she continued her social activities and studied at university to obtain a degree in interior engineering.

“A new municipality had been established in my town, so I took the initiative to visit the municipality with many suggestions and ideas in my pocket to improve the conditions of the town and beautify it. However, the people of the town always asked me, ‘Why do you go to the municipality and what do you do there among the men?’ but I did not care what they told me.”

‘We established a women’s committee’

Lubna Ezz Eldin and several women established a women’s committee in the town in 2013 to enhance the role of women in society and promote women’s economic empowerment. “Cultural and social activities held by the committee attracted the attention of women. The women of the neighboring towns who came to our town to participate in our activities.”

Lubna Ezz Eldin also talked about the activities of the committee in the town. “We have held exhibitions for women to display their hand-made products. We also hold training courses for women to promote women’s economic empowerment. We have developed many projects for women according to their needs. Most of the women in the town have already started their own business. Now, they participate in exhibitions across Lebanon to market their products.”

She founded an environmental association

Lubna Ezz Eldin wanted to improve herself to serve her community. “I attended training courses to lead my community. Now, I write articles about women for the municipality magazine.” Lubnan Ezz Eldin then founded the “Univers” Environmental Association in partnership with agricultural and environmental engineers from her town. “The aim of the association is to raise environmental awareness in our town. One of the projects of the association aims to shed light on how to use alternative energy and alternative crops. The association provides courses on organic agriculture without using chemical fertilizers.”

Project for women

The women’s committee in the town also launched a “skills development” project to teach women how to make handicrafts and sew. “The project was developed for women from all ages. The women’s committee has turned into a meeting place and a space for women to talk about their fears and concerns and spend their free time. The committee also aims to promote women’s political participation. I call on all women to believe in themselves, not surrender to anyone because they have the capacity to change their society despite all the obstacles.”