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"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me"
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The following are active projects that are carefully designed to offer a response to some of the challenges facing the Christians in Lebanon:
1. Providing assistance to students attending school in the displaced areas
2. Providing assistance for the rebuilding of churches destroyed during the war
3. Long-term financial sponsorship of children in Lebanon
1. Providing assistance to students attending school in the displaced areas
One of the many challenges facing Christians in Lebanon today is their inability to provide adequate education for their children. After years of economic downfall, much of the population in Lebanon finds itself struggling to guarantee the most basic needs in life. When food and shelter, the most basic of all needs, are a challenge for much of the population, education becomes a luxury, which may translate into new generations being deprived of basic schooling.
The magnitude of this problem is even greater for the thousands of Christian families who were displaced from their home towns in the areas of Chouf, Aley, and East Saida during the war. Christian towns that were completely ravaged by war mostly remain that way due to lack of assistance from government and non-government agencies. Public schools are a rare commodity with limited resources. Families who find the courage to return to their villages of origin face the prospects of minimal to absent job availability. Statistics from several sources, including ones from the ministry of displaced, show that no more than 20% of the displaced families have returned to their area of origin. This is compounded by the fact that many return for a few months and are forced to leave again given the challenges mentioned above. They are once again victims of a new form of forced displacement to the cities or to other countries in search of better economic conditions. Furthermore, the persistence of the displacement tragedy threatens to have serious and long lasting repercussions at the demographic level which adds to the economic and political challenges facing the Christians in Lebanon.
The Scholarship program, launched in 1999, offers financial assistance to the students of families who have returned to their villages of origin. This is intended to ease the economic pressure on the families and help them re-establish their roots in their home towns. With over 75 scholarships dispensed so far, we have begun to have a practical impact on the lives of our brothers and sisters who suffered from displacement. We have also started to be actively involved in the preservation and survival of our community in Lebanon.
- Help displaced families who have returned to their villages pay for their children's school tuition
- Prevent returning families from having to leave again due to economic pressure
Scholarship amount
- From $200 to $1000 per child per year
Selection criteria
- Established financial need as documented by a social worker from a collaborating charitable agency in Lebanon 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Proof of the family's return to their village of origin and continued residence there
- Good academic standing
Documentation and Feedback
- Receipt of the tuition payment form the school {examples: 1, 2, 3
- Signed acknowledment form the family of the recepient 1, 2
- Pictures and thanks you letters 1, 2
- Report cards 1
Follow up
- Periodic re-evaluation of the child's socioeconomic situation
2. Providing assistance for the rebuilding of destroyed churches
The church in a Lebanese village is more than a place of worship, it is the center of community gatherings. Once rebuilt, the church will play a substantial role in bringing the displaced back; the young will be able to get married in the same church where their parents and grandparents exchanged vows; families will be able to baptize their children; and the dead will be buried in the soil of their native land.
Our plan is to focus our efforts on villages that are in the process of rebuilding their churches and are having difficulty financing their projects. Our selection process is stringent and based on a detailed review of the specific church's resources and needs. Assitance funds are delivered to the parish council of the recipient churches under the supervision of the local priest.
Objective
- Help rebuild churches demolished during the war
Donation amount
- A minimum of $3000 per church
Selection criteria
- Churches in need are identified by representatives of the Maronite Outreach
- Detailed overview of the cost of each phase of construction
- Construction must already be in progress
- Highest priority is given to churches in displaced areas. (A donor may select a specific church that they would like to help)
Documentation and Feedback
- A signed letter from the parish council confirming the receipt of the money. (examples:1)
- Receipt of materials purchased and services rendered (examples: 1,2)
- Pictures 1,2
Follow up
- One of our representatives makes a personal visit to the church one year after the donation to check on the progress of the work
3. Long-term financial sponsorship of children in Lebanon
Friends of the Christians in Lebanon may elect to directly sponsor a child in Lebanon by covering their educational and healthcare needs. This entails a periodic contribution of a fixed sum and establishes a personal contact between the sponsor and the recipient.
There are four levels of sponsorship:
- The first level covers the child's medical insurance and daily needs such as food (40 US dollars monthly).
- The second level covers daily needs, medical insurance and school tuition (60 US dollars monthly depending on the school, usually public or semi-private).
- The third level covers the child's school tuition and academic expenses such as books and transportation (75 US Dollars monthly depending on the school).
- The fourth level covers the child's daily needs, medical insurance and school tuition (112 US Dollars monthly depending on the school, usually private school).
The payments can be done on a monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis.
We will ensure that you receive appropriate feedback depending on the level of sponsorship that you choose.
Objective
- Provide financial support for a child in desperate need on a continuous basis
- Establish personal bonds between the sponsor and the recipient
Donation amount
Selection criteria
- Documented financial need established by local social workers from charitable organizations in Lebanon
Documentation and Feedback
- Existence of family stressors such as death of a parent, parent with a chronic disease, or other handicaps
- Documentation of medical insurance
- Tuition receipts and grade reports
Follow up
- Periodic correspondence between the recipient and donor (thank you letters, cards, pictures, ...) examples:1, 2
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