The explosion at the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020 marked a turning point in the life of Marina El Khawand, who was just 18 years old at the time. As Lebanon descended deeper into economic, political, and healthcare crises following the blast, the COVID-19 pandemic, and months of unrest, she was urged by her family to leave the country. Instead, driven by a commitment to human rights and justice, she chose to remain in Beirut and confront the unfolding humanitarian emergency.
Once known for its strong healthcare system, Lebanon was rapidly losing medical professionals and essential services as the crisis deepened. In the days after the explosion, El Khawand began volunteering to support those affected, navigating devastated neighborhoods that resembled a war zone. During one such effort, she encountered an elderly woman trapped in a damaged building who urgently needed asthma medication. Unable to find the medicine locally, El Khawand turned to social media to seek help, eventually securing the life-saving treatment through community support both inside and outside the country.
The emotional moment of delivering the medication highlighted the fragility of access to basic healthcare and the profound impact of collective action. The woman’s gratitude crystallized El Khawand’s sense of purpose and inspired her to dedicate her life to saving lives and defending the right to health. This experience became the foundation for Medonations, an initiative born from emergency response that would soon evolve into a structured humanitarian organization.
Founded in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion, Medonations was formally registered as a non-profit in Lebanon in 2021 and later established its first European headquarters in France in 2023. What began as an Instagram appeal grew into an international network operating across 65 countries, connecting healthcare professionals and volunteers to collect and distribute medications to people in need in Lebanon. To date, the organization has supported more than 25,000 beneficiaries, guided by a commitment to health equity and universal access to care.
Beyond immediate humanitarian aid, El Khawand has focused on long-term systemic change at the intersection of healthcare, law, technology, and sustainability. Drawing on her legal background and studies in pharmacy, she has worked to advance innovative solutions that strengthen healthcare access. These efforts include helping establish Lebanon’s first Free HealthTech Clinic, which leverages digital tools and artificial intelligence to expand access to care, and developing CuraLoop, a startup aimed at recycling medical waste into sustainable solutions.
El Khawand’s leadership and impact have gained international recognition. In November 2025, she was honored at the Young Activists Summit at the United Nations in Geneva for her work as a young changemaker using technology for social good. She has also addressed global audiences, including at the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, where she called on governments to translate policies and commitments into concrete action, emphasizing that meaningful impact begins with saving lives and upholding the fundamental right to health.
