Yearly Archives: 2025

Back to Lebanon

Good news! Our volunteers ar going to back to Lebanon after a long absence

We are very happy! Very soon some of our volunteers will return to Lebanon, after a long absence due to war. We are *really* looking forward to see our friends and the children at FAID and at Association Najdeh. We will be four people – three old hands and an energetic new face. Welcome Annalisa!

The recent cuts in aid by the US government are having a very negative impact on the deaf children school FAID and the refugee kindergartens at Association Najdeh. If you’d like to donate for them, you can do so by bank transfer, PayPal or bank card on this page.

 

Tralee Choir Concert for Lebanon Trust

Sunday June 8, 2025: Charity Choir Concert in Tralee

On June 8th, in Tralee, don’t miss this concert! Many friends: St John’s Parish, Tralee and its Choir, Kerry Chamber Choir, Kerry School of Music and Performing Arts Senior and Junior Orchestras, and soloists, will convene together to offer this exceptional evening. And it is for charity! A huge THANK YOU to all and especially to Kevin Boyle, indefatigable exceptional organiser!

March 8 – 9, 2025 Jubilee of the World of Volunteerism

March 8 – 9, 2025 Jubilee of the World of Volunteerism

There is one aspect of our society that is not measured in GDP, not calculated in corporate balance sheets, but is invaluable: volunteerism. It is the soul of an economy that is not based only on profit, but on the common good. It is the essence of the human economy, one that is based on giving, on gratuitousness, on the ability to care for others without expecting anything in return. We should think of volunteerism, however, not only as a synonym for generosity, but as an invisible engine that makes the world go round. Indeed, without volunteerism many communities would be lonelier, poorer, more fragile.

Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters!

(source: https://www.frateindovino.eu/il-mensile/giubileo/il-giubileo-del-mondo-del-volontariato)

What we did in 2024

One more year with Lebanon Trust: what we did in 2024

    Above: Blankets for the displaced, funded by Lebanon Trust and distributed by Najdeh

Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support, not only from all the volunteers of our association, but especially from the people we are trying to help.

The year 2024 has been a real calamity for Lebanon, a country already sorely tried by a very deep economic crisis and political instability. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel escalated in September and culminated with very intense and prolonged Israeli aerial bombardment of almost the entire country, including the capital Beirut, and the invasion of the south, until the ceasefire on November 27; resulting in an estimated 1.2 million displaced people and thousands of dead, as well as total destruction of many population centers, burned fields and destroyed plantations. Demolitions and attacks unfortunately continue to this day.

Of course, our friends and work partners in Lebanon were deeply affected by all this. FAID, the school for deaf children that we have been supporting since 2008, was able to reopen only in December. The Association Najdeh, which is active in refugee camps, has worked tirelessly to rescue displaced people, who are camped on beaches, in public gardens, vacant buildings and on sidewalks. We were able to help 206 displaced families!

Thanks to all of you, we were able to send 11,000 dollars in donations. Another 4,000 euros (about 4170 dollars) could not be sent due to bank transfer difficulties but will be sent as soon as possible in 2025.

Income: donations to Lebanon Trust (euro) (1.12.2023 – 30.11.2024)

Fundraising initiatives, private donations, corporate sponsorships
Total 14568.71

(Year close Nov 30, 2023; EUR/USD/CHF currency exchange rate: as applied by our bank in Ireland)

Expenditure: disbursements to the supported institutions, expenses (euro)

Bank and PayPal fees, web hosting & domains 189.70
Donation to FAID (school for the deaf) 5836.00
Donations to Association Najdeh (refugee camps, displaced families) 4600.00
Total 10625.70
Difference (Corresponding approx. to the sum of USD 4000 that has not yet been possible to transfer to Lebanon) 3943.01

Many generous people donated through Benevity, The Irish Online Giving Foundation and The UK Online Giving Foundation (thank you Mick!). Our friend Kevin Boyle in Tralee again organised a splendid choir concert in June in favour of our projects. Having friends like them is what keeps us going. Thank you so much!

Many heartfelt thanks to the many generous friends who helped this year
(Dec 1st, 2023 – Nov 30th, 2024):

Kathleen, Mick, Carmel Halpin & family (Dublin & USA) • Amazon.com • Kevin Boyle and family (Tralee, Ireland) • St John’s Church Choir • Kerry Chamber Choir • Kerry School of Music, and the soloists, and everyone who helped on the night of the concert • QK Living Kitchens & Bedrooms (Dublin) • Anna Dal Negro, Axel Sonnenfeld (Zurich, CH) • Ole Vossnack (Zurich, CH) • Catherine Poeydomenge (Zurich, CH) • Catherine Murphy (Nawcastle West, Co Limerick) • Ardfert Quarry Products Partnership (Co. Kerry) • Pat Stafford and Stafford Engineering (Dublin) • Ms Sonja Kick and Endress and Hauser (Kill, Co. Kildare) • All the generous Walkinstown friends in St Peter’s Crescent and St Peter’s Drive for their constant support • Paul Reid Dental Laboratories (Dublin) • Big Mick (Dublin) • Rachad Merashli (Dublin) • Nesrine Abidi (Dublin) •  Conor MsSweeney (Dublin) • Hiedda Hoffmann (Dublin) • Andrea Franchini (Dublin) • Anne Byrne (Dublin) • Mahir Erkan (Dublin) • Dolphin Furniture Sales (Dublin) • Griffin Digital Print (Dublin) • The Terence Welding Company (Dublin) • Luca Baur (Schwerzenbach, CH) • Martina Merkle (Zurich, CH) • Patricia Meade (Ca., USA) • the customers of St. Peregrines GAA Club • Fam. Ricci (Arquata S., Italy) • Enrico & Lilli Bertolotto (Genoa, Italy) • MC Ferraro & A Bertolotto (Genoa, Italy) • Fam. Aquini (Arquata S., Italy) • Fam. Ponzano (Arquata S., Italy) • Fam Boiani, Fam Fasciolo-Barnabè (Arquata S., Italy) Giorgio Margotti (Livorno, Italy) • Silvana Falaschini (Livorno, Italy) • Fam Zappavigna (Marina di Massa, Italy) • Fam. Vigna -Mori (Savona, Italy) • Jolanda Bianchi (Genoa, Italy) • Fam. Cocurullo (Genoa, Italy) • Fam. Devia (Genoa, Italy) • Fam Prola-Smith (London, UK) • B. Biondi (Zurich, CH) • The many people who sponsored Paul on the cards • and many other generous people who prefer to remain anonymous!