Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Nov 15, 2025

Beirut explosion: first Lebanese woman to climb Everest helps in aftermath, praising ‘resilience’ of her people

Beirut explosion: first Lebanese woman to climb Everest helps in aftermath, praising ‘resilience’ of her people

Fatima ‘Tima’ Deryan was in her home in Dubai watching in horror as the footage of the explosion in Beirut unfolded. She was racked with guilt as her home country was plunged into crisis.

“Everyone has been affected, including my family. One of the really affected areas is called Karantina, it’s more like the slums of Lebanon, so I went straight there,” she said.

More than 200 people were killed and thousands injured when 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in a port in Beirut on August 4. The blast destroyed or damaged large parts of the city.

Deryan is the first Lebanese woman to climb Everest, having scaled 19 mountains in her career. She attributes her determination in the hills to her upbringing in Lebanon and sees her attitude reflected in her fellow country people.

“What is great about the people of Lebanon is that they are so resilient. The city is getting back to life,” she said.

That is not to say it is anywhere near normal. The government continues to ignore Karantina, despite families loosing their entire homes, she said. Deryan has been working with an NGO called Borderless.

“The explosion, everyone was affected, poor and rich. But the rich are dealing with it. When you go to that poor side, and you see the government is not doing anything to help, you see multiple NGOs that have zero relationship with the government,” Deryan said.

With no schools and stressed parents trying to pick up the pieces of their lives, Deryan and Borderless host a clinic every day where children can come for education, mental health support and activities.

“We link up with other organisations who can provide activities and look after the children’s needs,” Deryan said.


“I’m a life coach, not a psychologist, but I can have conversations. When I listen to the children, it started about how they lost a family member. They’d start imagining that their heads were cut off, rockets, and the blasts,” she said.

“Their imaginations are really wild. But now they are drawing what they want to do in the future, how they want to change Lebanon, how they want to help others.”

Deryan is using her social media influence and position in the climbing community to draw attention to the issues in Karantina. She hopes the news cycle will not just move on. Houses are still in ruins, windows are still smashed but glass prices have been driven up by demand.


Fatima Deryan atop Mount Everest. The resilience needed for mountain climbing is reflected in all Lebanese climbers.


“People outside Lebanon, they can donate. They can donate to the Red Cross or another organisation like Borderless, because it is credible,” she said.

“Lebanon does not need food, we have received a lot of food. At this point, Lebanese need mental support, money to rebuild their homes and for education. We cannot stop covering, and thinking about the people of Lebanon,” she added.

“It is true Lebanese are resilient, but at some point we will break.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts Visits Saudi Arabia Amid Potential Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Cristiano Ronaldo Embraces Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup Vision with Key Role
Saudi Arabia’s Execution Campaign Escalates as Crown Prince Readies U.S. Visit
Trump Unveils Middle East Reset: Syria Re-engaged, Saudi Ties Amplified
Saudi Arabia to Build Future Cities Designed with Tourists in Mind, Says Tourism Minister
Saudi Arabia Advances Regulated Stablecoin Plans with Global Crypto Exchange Support
Saudi Arabia Maintains Palestinian State Condition Ahead of Possible Israel Ties
Chinese Steel Exports Surge 41% to Saudi Arabia as Mills Pivot Amid Global Trade Curbs
Saudi Arabia’s Biban Forum 2025 Secures Over US$10 Billion in Deals Amid Global SME Drive
Saudi Arabia Sets Pre-Conditions for Israel Normalisation Ahead of Trump Visit
MrBeast’s ‘Beast Land’ Arrives in Riyadh as Part of Riyadh Season 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Asserts Saudi Pro League Outperforms Ligue 1 Amid Scoring Feats
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
Saudi Arabia Pauses Major Stretch of ‘The Line’ Megacity Amid Budget Re-Prioritisation
Saudi Arabia Launches Instant e-Visa Platform for Over 60 Countries
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Trump at White House on November Eighteenth
Trump Predicts Saudi Arabia Will Normalise with Israel Ahead of 18 November Riyadh Visit
Entrepreneurial Momentum in Saudi Arabia Shines at Riyadh Forward 2025 Summit
Saudi Arabia to Host First-Ever International WrestleMania in 2027
Saudi Arabia to Host New ATP Masters Tournament from 2028
Trump Doubts Saudi Demand for Palestinian State Before Israel Normalisation
Viral ‘Sky Stadium’ for Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup Debunked as AI-Generated
Deal Between Saudi Arabia and Israel ‘Virtually Impossible’ This Year, Kingdom Insider Says
Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Washington While Israel Recognition Remains Off-Table
Saudi Arabia Poised to Channel Billions into Syria’s Reconstruction as U.S. Sanctions Linger
Smotrich’s ‘Camels’ Remark Tests Saudi–Israel Normalisation Efforts
Saudi Arabia and Qatar Gain Structural Edge in Asian World Cup Qualification
Israeli Energy Minister Delays $35 Billion Gas Export Agreement with Egypt
Fincantieri and Saudi Arabia Agree to Build Advanced Maritime Ecosystem in Kingdom
Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Accelerates AI Ambitions Through Major Partnerships and Infrastructure Push
IOC and Saudi Arabia End Ambitious 12-Year Esports Games Partnership
CSL Seqirus Signs Saudi Arabia Pact to Provide Cell-Based Flu Vaccines and Build Local Production
Qualcomm and Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Team Up to Deploy 200 MW AI Infrastructure
Saudi Arabia’s Economy Expands Five Percent in Third Quarter Amid Oil Output Surge
China’s Vice President Han Zheng Meets Saudi Crown Prince as Trade Concerns Loom
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
×