Reveals the Pain Behind His Powerful Journey

Some stories begin with opportunity. Others begin with circumstances a child never chose. For Karim Jomaa, growing up in an orphanage meant learning independence at an age when most children depend on parents and family members for protection, guidance and support.

His childhood was shaped by difficult circumstances, but those experiences eventually gave him a powerful understanding of what it means to grow up without the security and recognition that many people take for granted.

Today, Karim is not speaking only about his own past. He wants his experience to draw attention to children in Lebanon who, through circumstances beyond their control, grow up without proper official registration or a recognised legal identity.

For Karim, this is not simply a bureaucratic issue. It is a human issue.

He believes children should not have to suffer the consequences of circumstances surrounding their birth. They did not choose their parents, their family circumstances or the conditions into which they were born. Yet, in his view, the absence of official recognition can leave vulnerable children facing serious limitations in their lives.

His appeal is straightforward: Lebanon should give greater legal recognition and protection to children who are innocent of the circumstances of their existence.

A Childhood That Taught Karim About Independence

Karim’s understanding of this issue comes from personal experience.

Raised in an orphanage, he learned from an early age that life could not always provide the support that other children received. He had to become independent, work, take responsibility for himself and learn how to navigate difficult situations.

Growing up without the traditional family structure changed the way he understood security and belonging.

For Karim, having an identity is about much more than possessing a document. It is about being recognised as a person with rights, opportunities and a place within society.

That is why the issue of children without proper registration resonates so strongly with him.

He believes that no child should be held responsible for circumstances they did not create.

A child enters the world without choosing the conditions of their birth. Karim’s argument is that society and institutions should therefore protect that child rather than allow those circumstances to determine the person’s future.

Karim Jomaa’s Appeal for Legal Recognition

Karim wants attention brought to what he sees as a serious gap affecting vulnerable children in Lebanon.

He believes the country should consider stronger legal measures to provide identity and citizenship or appropriate legal recognition to children who would otherwise remain without meaningful official status.

In his words, he “pleads and begs” for Lebanon to consider a law that would recognise the identity and rights of children who are innocent of the circumstances surrounding their birth.

His concern comes from a deeply personal place.

Karim understands what it means to grow up without the advantages that can come with family support and a secure identity. He believes that if he had grown up under circumstances similar to children with parents and full family support, his opportunities could have been very different.

That experience has led him to ask a larger question:

What happens to a child when society does not fully recognise them?

For Karim, the answer should not be that the child simply has to accept the consequences.

The Human Cost Behind a Piece of Paper

Karim particularly wants people to understand that documentation is not merely paperwork.

An official identity can affect a person’s ability to access education, employment, healthcare, travel and other aspects of civic and social life. When a person’s legal status is uncertain or incomplete, everyday opportunities can become much more complicated.

Karim says that some children in these circumstances may receive a piece of paper, but he questions whether such documentation provides the meaningful rights and recognition they need.

His concern is therefore about what exists beyond the document.

A piece of paper has little meaning if it does not allow a child to participate fully in society.

This is why Karim wants the conversation to move beyond administration and toward human dignity.

He believes children should not grow up feeling that they are somehow less entitled to opportunities simply because of the circumstances into which they were born.

“They Are Innocent of Their Existence”

At the centre of Karim’s message is a simple idea: children should not be punished for circumstances they never chose.

They are not responsible for the decisions of adults.

They do not choose the family they are born into. They do not choose whether their parents are present. They do not choose their economic circumstances or whether their birth is properly registered.

Yet the consequences can follow them for years.

Karim wants society to look at these children first as human beings rather than as administrative cases.

His personal experience has made him particularly sensitive to questions of belonging, identity and opportunity. He understands that a difficult beginning can affect the course of an entire life.

That is why he believes early recognition and protection can make a meaningful difference.

From Personal Survival to Social Responsibility

Much of Karim’s life has been about survival and self-reliance.

He worked from a young age. He learned to take care of himself. He built a home, purchased the car he wanted and developed his passion for sport. He married and later experienced the devastating loss of his wife after her battle with cancer.

Each chapter required him to keep moving forward.

But his story is now becoming about something larger than his own achievements.

Karim wants to use his experiences to speak for people who may not have the opportunity or platform to speak for themselves.

His interest in the issue of children without official recognition comes from the belief that vulnerable people need someone willing to draw attention to their situation.

For him, sharing his story is therefore not simply about explaining where he came from. It is about asking what can be changed for people who are still living through similar circumstances.

A Message to Lebanon

Karim’s appeal is directed toward his country.

He wants Lebanon to look more closely at the circumstances faced by children who lack meaningful official identity and consider legal solutions that protect their rights and future.

He believes the country has an opportunity to ensure that children are not left carrying the consequences of circumstances they had no role in creating.

His message is emotional because it comes from lived experience.

He is not presenting himself as someone who had an easy journey. His childhood was difficult, and he understands how much a person’s starting circumstances can influence the opportunities available to them.

That is precisely why he wants attention brought to children who may be facing even greater obstacles.

He hopes that his voice, together with others who care about the issue, can contribute to a broader conversation about identity, citizenship, dignity and children’s rights in Lebanon.

Giving a Voice to Children Who Did Not Choose Their Circumstances

Karim’s story has always been about resilience, but resilience should not become an excuse for society to leave vulnerable people without support.

A child should not have to prove extraordinary strength simply to receive the basic recognition and opportunities that others receive naturally.

This is the heart of Karim’s message.

He wants his country to consider how children without secure legal recognition can be protected and given a genuine opportunity to build their futures.

His hope is that raising awareness can encourage more people to discuss the issue openly and responsibly.

Perhaps, he believes, his own story can help start that conversation.

A Personal Story With a Larger Purpose

Karim Jomaa’s journey began with hardship, but it has gradually developed into something larger than personal survival.

He has built independence through work, discipline and determination. Sport became an important part of his transformation. Personal loss tested him again. Through every chapter, he continued moving forward.

Now he wants to use that resilience for a different purpose.

He wants to draw attention to children who, like the younger version of himself, may begin life without the security and support that others receive.

His appeal to Lebanon is ultimately about recognition.

Children should not be defined by the circumstances of their birth. They should not be made to carry responsibility for decisions they never made. They should have the opportunity to establish an identity, access their rights and build a future based on their own choices.

Karim knows from experience that where a person begins does not have to determine where they end.

But he also believes that society has a responsibility to make sure that vulnerable children are given the chance to begin properly in the first place.

His story is therefore no longer only about what he survived.

It is about what he hopes can change.

And perhaps, by speaking openly about his own experience and calling attention to children who remain without meaningful recognition, Karim Jomaa can help begin a conversation that Lebanon needs to have.

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