Balqees Fathi visits children in Lebanon

Singer, mother, and UNICEF Gulf Ambassador Balqees met with children and families during her first field visit with UNICEF, witnessing how UNICEF programmes are helping Lebanon’s most vulnerable children.

Balqees took a step away from the stage and into classrooms, playrooms, youth and medical centers in Lebanon, a country where far too many children are growing up in crisis. As UNICEF’s Gulf Ambassador, she came not just to observe, but to connect. To sit with children, hear their dreams, and see how UNICEF’s support is helping them heal, learn, and dream again.

“Through my work with UNICEF, I’ve learned about the dark realities behind wars, earthquakes and disasters... but with UNICEF's mission, there is still hope.”

Her day started with the Dirasa Programme, where she joined children catching up on the education they had lost. Some had never been to school before. Others had been forced to drop out due to poverty, displacement, or crisis. Sitting among them, Balqees listened as they talked about their goals: becoming doctors, chefs, football players, engineers.

“Education is not just about school; it’s about building the children’s confidence, belonging, and believing that their future matters.”

At the Makani Center, Balqees was welcomed with smiles, laughter, and open arms. The center, funded by the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, offers children a place to learn, play, and recover emotionally from what they’ve been through. She joined in classroom activities, sang with the children, chatted with caregivers, and helped build LEGO towers with young ones.

“The issue is not only about the war itself, but everything that comes after, the emotional, psychological, and health consequences children now face.”

She then met a little boy undergoing treatment under the ACWA programme, which supports war-affected children with specialized medical care and psychosocial support. The needs are immense, but so is the resilience.

“The consequences of war have been incredibly difficult for them. But healing, both physically and psychologically, is possible, with the right care.”

Her final stop was UNICEF’s Generation of Innovation Leaders (GIL) programme, where young people are gaining 21st-century skills in digital design, AI, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

“Here, I saw what hope looks like, what happens when we believe in young people and give them the tools to succeed.”

Balqees’s visit wasn’t just about what Balqees saw; it was about the voices she carried with her. It was a reminder that behind every statistic is a child, with a name, a dream, and a future worth fighting for. Her journey through Lebanon shines a light on the work UNICEF and its partners are doing, and the support that generous donors give every day.

“What I saw in Lebanon reminded me that every child, no matter where they are, deserves love, safety, and a chance to dream. Let’s not turn away, let’s stand with them.”

Balqees Fathi, UNICEF Gulf Ambassador