From the Heart of the South: Umm Ali Makes Manakish for the Displaced

From the southern village of Sarafand, Alia Doughman—also known as Umm Ali—has been making manakish with love for the displaced, even amidst shelling and the hardships of war.

You can watch the full interview with Manateq.net here:

“Tell him, Bring us what life brings,
Tell him, we stay here and never leave our mountain.
The cedar’s soil is more precious than gold.”

These are the words of Umm Ali, who chose to remain steadfast in her village home despite the war. She transformed it into a bakery for the displaced, with her son traveling to Saida to secure flour while she prepares the manakish. Sarafand, like many areas in South Lebanon and Beqaa, endures continuous raids.

Umm Ali, like many Lebanese of the older generation, has lived through countless wars. She says she isn’t afraid: “No, I wasn’t scared. Whoever is destined to die will die, whether at home or outside—it’s the same!”

“Two manakish for twenty!”

Umm Ali is selling two manakish for just 20,000 LBP, because, as she puts it: “You have to stand with the poor, not with the rich—with the poor.”

Enjoyed watching Umm Ali prepare manakish for the displaced? You might also like, Khan El Saboun Provides Shelter and Workshops for the Displaced.