Cedra Kenno

Cedra was born in 2005, in Aleppo in Syria. She attended school until grade 3, but she unfortunately had to seek refuge, with her family, in Lebanon in late 2012, fleeing the war in her home country.

Cedra dreamed hard of going back to school, but her fate in Lebanon was nowhere less harsh than the war she fled with her family. The family of seven lived in a single concierge room in Mar Mikhael, close to the Port of Beirut.

The 15-year old lived way ahead of her young age, she helped her mother with house chores and cooking. She was a mother to her siblings, yet so innocent like a toddler. But despite her smiles, she was not satisfied. She was waiting for an opportunity to learn anything that would help her start a career instead of wasting her years in vain. Little did she know her dreams will be cut short, and her life will be stolen away from her.

Cedra was also passionate about football and she closely followed European as well as local football teams, she was a fan of the Lebanese Nejmeh Football Club.

On the 4^th of August, a few minutes before 6:00 PM, the family was going to have tea together. It was impossible to tell they will shortly lose one of them.

Cedra's brother saw the smoke above the Port of Beirut, and heard the sounds of fireworks. They all went outside to see what was happening. Their mother called for them to go inside as she feared something bad might happen. But as soon as the kids went in, an earth-shattering blast hit them, and debris was flying from high nearby buildings injuring Cedra’s the head.

Her brother in law took her to Hotel Dieu Hospital; it took them two hours to arrive because of the heavy traffic on the way there. When they arrived, it was already too late, Cedra had already passed away. Her childish innocent smile left her face forever.