In south Lebanon, local markets are slowly coming back to life as communities rebuild after months of hardship. In Maarake village, UNIFIL’s Italian and Malaysian peacekeepers joined residents in their weekly market to support local vendors — farmers, artisans, and women entrepreneurs — determined to restore their livelihoods.
UNIFIL Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, who described the visit as a sign of the community’s strength, took part in the visit — sharing moments with residents and witnessing their resilience firsthand.
“It was great to see so many people selling their products, especially some women entrepreneurs,” she said. “The community is slowly coming back, the community is resilient, and this is great to see.”
Local vendors warmly welcomed the peacekeepers. Imad Mohsen, who sells accessories and cosmetics, said the visit brought positive and encouraging energy to the market.
Before the conflict, Maarake’s historic market — more than fifty years old — hosted around 185 stalls serving the entire region. Today, only about 25 remain. The Mayor of Maarakeh, Adel Saad, hopes to see that number grow again.
“People have now started to fight to continue living… and the presence of UNIFIL today brought new life to the market,” he said.
For UNIFIL peacekeepers, supporting local markets is more than an act of solidarity — it’s part of their work to help communities recover and strengthen local stability. Lt Commander Zulhazrin Abdul Mutalib from the Malaysian contingent explained:
“Today we are supporting the local people in this open market to help them start and increase their sales and economy around here.”
As Ardiel noted, the progress in Maarake market is a hopeful sign of recovery.
“We hope that this progress continues and the next time I visit the market, I hope to see many more stalls and many more products to buy.”
Through small yet meaningful actions, UNIFIL continues to contribute to restoring stability and recovery in southern Lebanon — helping communities rebuild their livelihoods and create the conditions for safe recovery and development, in line with Security Council Resolution 1701.