A family from Lebanon with six children left homeless in Larnaca after asylum refusal

A family from Lebanon with six underage children aged between 5 and 17 was left without housing in Larnaca after their asylum application was rejected.

The family was noticed by a local resident — they were sitting by the roadside, surrounded by suitcases, out in the cold. The man invited them into his home and tried to contact the police, the Social Welfare Services, and other responsible authorities. Only after numerous appeals and public pressure was the family provided with temporary accommodation in a hotel until their departure from the country.

“I saw the parents and six children who had been sitting on the sidewalk in the cold for hours. They looked exhausted and said they had nowhere else to go,” he said.

It emerged that the family had lived in Cyprus for about three years and had applied for asylum, but their request was rejected. They were asked to close their case and leave the country, which left them without a roof over their heads.

According to the man, the family said they had contacted the police, Social Welfare Services, and accommodation centers, but received no assistance anywhere. Even after the official closure of their case, no alternative housing was offered, despite the presence of six underage children.

“I personally tried to contact all the competent services. The police said they could not help, and there was no on-duty staff at Social Welfare. There was no coordination between the agencies,” he noted.

Unable to stay indifferent, the man temporarily sheltered the family, fed them, and began contacting political, church, and state institutions, as well as the media.

The family members said they were offered to return to Lebanon and eventually agreed to do so. However, after the case was closed, they were left on the street.

“We had no food and no money. If it weren’t for this man, we would still be on the street,” they said.

At present, the family does not know the exact date of their departure from Cyprus and remains in a difficult situation.