La Maison, a place of return to life
written on the 23.12.2024A touching return to La Maison for Iman, burnt alive at the age of 8 and treated in Switzerland between 1985 and 1987
Last July, almost 40 years after her stay at La Maison, Iman returned to Massongex with her children, Saïd and Abraham, aged 10 and 6. It was around the same age that she and her older brother Imad were burnt alive in Lebanon, in April 1985, when a gas cylinder exploded during the ongoing war. They were saved from the flames by their mother but they lost their five siblings that day. Seriously injured in the face, arms and hands, the two young Lebanese were transferred to Switzerland in November 1985. They stayed at La Maison between 1985 and 1987, with several hospitalisations in Lausanne and Geneva. Reflections on an emotional family visit.

A lifesaving cocoon
‘After my accident in Lebanon at the age of 8, I was lucky enough to be treated in Switzerland and taken in at La Maison’, explains Iman. So, it was with great emotion that, on July 30th, she retraced the footsteps of her childhood with her family. ‘By opening a window on this period of my life, I want to bring the present and the past together. And to show my children that, in the face of nightmarish situations like the tragedy I experienced, one can find hope and real humanity.’
For Iman, La Maison de Terre des hommes Valais represents a protective and life-saving cocoon. ‘The kindness I felt there counterbalanced my misfortune. I was an innocent child, helpless in the face of others’ violence and its direct consequences. In my case, serious burns and a shattered life.’
Through this visit, she also wanted to express her gratitude. ‘I’m grateful from the bottom of my heart for the welcome I received at La Maison in the 80s. I have a deep respect for all the staff at the institution who, even today, do their utmost to save ill or injured children.’

Overcoming difficulties
Iman believes that the many helping hands at La Maison help people to overcome their difficulties. ‘It’s a place that brings people together through values such as generosity, mutual aid and cooperation, regardless of ethnicity or religion.’
She explains that the peaceful setting of La Maison, and the games and interaction with the other children, were vital in helping her and her brother to regain their psychological balance. ‘We played table football, board games and puzzles. And on Sundays we all cooked together.’ Their convalescence at La Maison gave them a kind of rebirth, as Iman points out.
Like her brother, Iman believes that one must overcome life’s difficulties. The tragedy she experienced pushed her to do more and more, to be the best in class. In 2000, she moved to France to do a PhD in biology and health, and then started a family. She also tries to set an example for her children, particularly her eldest son, who has a congenital malformation that sometimes restricts him in certain activities.
‘La Maison brings people together through values such as generosity, mutual aid and cooperation, regardless of ethnicity or religion.’
Iman, treated at La Maison between 1985 and 1987
Intact memories
During her visit to Massongex, Iman rediscovered the pavilion where she lived, the ‘Snow White’ room where she slept and the canteen where she ate with the other residents. ‘I feel like I’m living a dream by coming back here. As I get older, I want to see the film of my life from the beginning, to remember the past and pass it on to my children. It is important that future generations learn lessons of peace and solidarity, especially given the current situation in the world and particularly in Lebanon.’
Iman had already returned to La Maison in 2003 with her brother Imad and his family. The visit even led to a report in L’Illustré. More than twenty years later, it is her turn to show the place to her children.
‘I’ve had the best day of my life,’ exclaims Saïd, Iman’s eldest son, as he leaves after an afternoon that has given him a glimpse into an essential part of his mum’s childhood. ‘When I read the article in the magazine, I was determined to see the place where my mother had lived between 1985 and 1987, after her accident. Thank you so much to La Maison for taking in and caring for my mum, because without you she wouldn’t be here, and neither would my brother and I.’
‘Thank you so much to La Maison for taking in and caring for my mum, because without you she wouldn’t be here, and neither would my brother and I.’
Saïd, 10 years old, Iman’s eldest son
