Hot off the press: the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR publishes a story about FAID and Lebanon Trust

Six-year-old Syrian refugee Mohammed responds to questions in a classroom at the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf in Beirut, Lebanon. © UNHCR/Haidar Darwish

During our trip in October, a delegation of the UN Refugee Agency came to visit us at FAID. They interviewed us and the school’s staff, visited the audiology department and the classrooms, spoke to children and parents – and then filmed and summarised all this in a wonderful story.(opens a new tab)

Watch the video (© UNHCR)

Special thanks to Matt Saltmarsh, Lisa Abou Khaled, Haidar Darwish and to all their colleagues who made this possible.

Two friends lend a huge hand – and a matching donation from Symantec Ireland – to Lebanon Trust

With their tireless support, David Keane and Wolfram Rausch of Symantec in Dublin made it possible for Lebanon Trust to receive a USD 2000 matching donation for our project. Thank you Symantec, David and Wolfram!

UNHCR visits Lebanon Trust at FAID

Matt Saltmarsh, spokesman of the UN Refugee Agency in Beirut, with colleague Lisa Abou Khaled and photographer Haidar Darwish spent a morning with us during our stay in Lebanon last October. They interviewed Lebanon Trust’s Christy and Laura and FAID’s Gladys; visited the the Audiology department, where audiologist Nemer illustrated his work and demonstrated his equipment; had a tour of all the classrooms with Lina, Academic director, and were cheered by all the children; then had a conversation with Toufic Takchi, chairman of FAID’s Board. A memorable day for all involved. Thank you Matt, Lisa and Haidar!

The UNHCR delegation visiting the Audiology department at FAID.

Matthew Saltmarsh of UNHCR interviews Lebanon Trust and FAID staff

Matt Saltmarsh (UNHCR) interviews FAID’s Chairman Toufic Takchi

FAID’s founder Father Andeweg’s portrait, flanked by Lina, FAID’s Academic director, and Christy, Lebanon Trust’s chairman

International software giant Symantec’s Lebanese office visits FAID, School for the Deaf,  and the volunteers of Lebanon Trust

Our officer Noel presents some good friends with a Certificate of Appreciation

Noel showed all our gratitude to friends Mark, Danie, Breda and Joe, Neill, Darren for their continued support to Lebanon Trust’s charitable projects, and presented them with a framed Certificate of Appreciation.

Thank you friends!

Mark Teahan, from Tralee Printing Works

Breda Flynn, wife of the late Joe Flynn

Danie Linnane, of Linnanes Bar in Tralee

Neill Nolan, of Nolan’s Garage in Tralee

Darren O’ Sullivan, of The Castle Bar in Tralee

A day at a refugee camp in Tyre, South Lebanon

During our trip to Lebanon last month, we travelled to the refugee camp of Burj el-Shemali in Tyre, in the South of Lebanon. A permit granted in advance by the Lebanese Army is necessary to enter the camp. We went to see the local kindergarten run by the Association Najdeh, which hosts about 80 children, and which we support since 2012.

The kindergarten is spotless, very well maintained, and the classrooms brightly painted and decorated. The kids are a delight, full of chatter and laughter. The teachers are very motivated and full of initiatives. We played and chased soap bubbles with the children, talked with the teachers, and delivered a donation of 2000 dollars for teachers’ training and operational expenses.

Good news from Lebanon

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Dublin and Zurich, November 2016

Dear friends,

the Lebanon Trust volunteers just returned from Lebanon this past weekend. We visited, and donated to, two kindergartens in refugee camps (USD 4000 in total), and stayed at FAID, the school for deaf children that we have been supporting since 2008.

There, we received a visit by a Symantec delegation headed by Marcel Nasser, Commercial Manager for Egypt and the Levant. Symantec Ireland supports us generously. We also received Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesman of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Beirut, and some of his colleagues, who visited the classrooms and the audiology department, and interviewed us, the school staff and some parents.

In addition to donating USD 8000 to finance FAID’s much-needed speech therapist & school operations, we built for the children a brand-new playground and a garden area: see the difference that two weeks – and your continued great generosity – made for these disadvantaged kids!

So, on behalf of Lebanon Trust and especially of the kids, a very big THANK YOU!!!!

A proper financial report for our donors will follow.

Our 2016 work in pictures: before …

and after:

Matthew Saltmarsh of UNHCR (centre) interviews Lebanon Trust and FAID staff	The UNHCR delegation visiting the Audiology department at FAID.
UNHCR at FAID. The Chairman of FAID’s Board, Toufic Takchi, is second from left.	A portrait of FAID’s founder Father Andeweg flanked by Lina, FAID’s Academic Supervisor, and Christy, Lebanon Trust’s Chairman.

Lebanon Trust at the Chatila refugee camp

We spent a great day at the kindergarten run by the Association Najdeh in the refugee camp of Chatila in Beirut. Lebanon Trust supports it since 2010. Thank you Mariam and all the teachers for the warm welcome!

Volunteers of Lebanon Trust present Mariam, the head teacher, with a donation for the kindergarten.

Children of the refugee camp, playing at the kindergarten	Children at this kindergarten learn Arabic and English.
Refugee camp of Chatila: view from the kindergarten	Refugee camp of Chatila. A very rare sight: a tree.

A donation to FAID, school for deaf kids

Our very proud Chairman Christy and some other volunteers presented FAID, the school for deaf children that we support since 2008, with a USD 8000 donation during a party to open the new playground built & donated by Lebanon Trust. The much-needed donation is for the ongoing operations of the school.

A deaf pupil cut the ribbon and the playing started!

New garden for FAID’s deaf pupils

See the difference made by the work of Lebanon Trust’s volunteers at FAID School for the Deaf, during their very successful work trip in October!

The former garden had been abandoned and was completely overgrown …	.. and it was definitely not a welcoming place for FAID’s children
The volunteers put in a lot of work and initiative

… and they really made a difference, with the new playground, plants and freshly painted benches and features

A very proud Christy, Lebanon Trust’s chairman

Old objects were restored and given new life

October 2016: a brand new playground for FAID

Before Lebanon Trust’s intervention ….

The area outside the FAID girls’ dormitory, before the intervention of Lebanon Trust’s volunteers

The old playground had been abandoned long ago and was no longer usable.

and after:

Lebanon Trust cleaned and prepared the area, and bought and installed the new playground equipment.

FAID”s children are ecstatic with their new playground

Back to school at FAID, school for the Deaf

On Friday 30th of September the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf celebrated the opening of the new school year 2016-2017. Like every year, Father Issam Ibrahim conducted a prayer at the school chapel.

The school has welcomed new staff members and new students alike. We all look forward to another fruitful year.  Welcome to FAID!

Our volunteer Noel and Lebanon Trust feature in an article in Kerry

Our volunteer and Lebanon Trust Officer Noel Conway feature in an article on Kerryseye, the largest circulation newspaper paper in Kerry, with the latest news, comment and sport throughout the county. The article illustrates Lebanon Trust’s upcoming mission to Lebanon, where we will support the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf (FAID) and two kindergartens in refugee camps, one in Beirut and one in the South of the country.

Again a Lebanon mission coming soon ….

Next month our intrepid volunteers will travel to Lebanon, like they have done each year since 2008. They will work at FAID, the school for deaf children that Lebanon Trust has been supporting all these years, and visit (& donate to) the kindergartens of the refugee camps of Shatila and Burj el Shemali.

All help and donations are most welcome!