For many years, my family has been sending money to Lebanon to help those in need. Many of my relatives still reside in the town of Sawfar, and they would always tell my family and I about local families in desperate need of financial assistance. My mother-in-law would tell my husband, who is a pediatrician, about their lack of medicine and medical consultations. Families and local establishments, like the nearby orphanage, would come to her for help and she always met their needs as best as she could. Each year, we would collect a sum of money from friends and family members to send to Lebanon so that she could give it directly to those in need.

The United Nations now estimates that 82% of people in Lebanon live below the poverty line, and 36% of the population is living in extreme poverty.

I knew that in order to create a lasting effect in the communities of Lebanon, I would need to raise awareness about the living conditions there and would also need help in raising funds to provide them with necessary services and utilities. I wanted to have a direct impact on a place very close to my heart- the mountain region of Lebanon, where my husband and I both grew up. It became clear that this was my calling, and my way of continuing the magnanimous work of my mother-in-law. It is also a way of giving my children a stronger connection to the country from which we came, because no matter where we are, we will always have a place to call our home, our beytna.

With thanks and warm regards,
Nassab Ahmadie