Beirut, November 2020
Thousands of domestic workers fled Lebanon following the first lockdown of march 2020. The country's financial collapse deepened by the pandemic encouraged a significant exodus of migrant workers. Wubit, 24 from Addis Ababa, whom I followed across her last days in the capital has been in Beirut for five years before deciding to walk through the gates of Rafic Hariri airport in November with a one-way ticket home country.
Suspended salaries, unpaid wages and growing forms of abuse towards domestic workers and not to mention Lebanon's uncertain future, contributed to this wave of departure. Ethiopians, Filipinos, Nepalese, Senegalese, Kenyan, Sri Lankans countless girls from all walks of life with the sole purpose of finding stability and a steady salary had their prospects cut short.
Wubit looking through the tinted window of her bedroom
Inside Sally's room, decorated according to her beliefs. Once per week, preferably on Sundays, Wubit and her friends would meet up to cook together and watch Turkish series on TV.
The view from the single window of Wubit's living room leads to the vibrant street scenes of Karm el Zeitoun, home to a rich and diverse community of Lebanese and migrant workers alike.
Wubit's passport grants her an exit from Lebanon. Often, domestic workers do not have direct access to their documents as a result of the restrictive kafala system.
Some of Wubit's belongings accumulated over the past five years includes shoes, beauty products and garments.
On a plastic stool, a brewed coffee paired with a phone highlighting a song from Ethiopian singer Fikiradis Nekatieb.
Ahead of her departure Wubit gifted herself the services of a hairdresser, looking to be in her best attire for her upcoming return to Addis Ababa.
The small-scale mirror used by the hairdresser reflects the green walls of Wubit's living room.
The multiple suitcases enclosing Wubit's belongings and fragments of her life in Beirut.
A painful but joyous farewell at Beirut international airport. A few months later Wubit's friend Coco (pictured) joined Wubit in Addis Ababa.