A major sporting event is always a great opportunity to show solidarity with a cause or support for an organisation. Amel Association International will be participating this coming Sunday 11th of November in Beirut’s annual marathon, set to welcome over 190 non-governmental organisations as part of the ‘Run for a Cause’ programme. The organisations are concerned with humanitarian and development causes, culture and the arts, environment, peace and conflict resolution and healthcare for minority groups, among others.
23 women from Amel’s Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) and Victims of Human Trafficking programme will be running in the 8km ‘Run for Fun’ version of the race, to be competed in a time frame of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Amel will be raising awareness of growing abuse and exploitation of Asian and African domestic workers in Lebanon, who additionally have no legal protection. Amel has always believed in the power of sport as a positive vector to mobilise communities.
Baroudeurs de l’Espoir, a French NGO that has been Amel’s partner for a year and a half funding the Mobile Educational Unit in Kamed el Loz, Beqaa, will be running alongside Amel. President of Baroudeurs de l’Espoir Diane Antakli, who will be joined by the organisation’s Secretary-General Magalie Augu, notes: “We are very sensitive to many of the issues Amel holds dear, so running with the organisation will bring us closer in a joint spirit of hope.” Baroudeurs de l’Espoir organise many of their own events around sport, “promoting determination, encouragement and engagement”, says Antakli.
Amel will also be present for the campaign Ensemble!, dedicated to providing non-formal education to Syrian children at the Haret Hreik centre. There they receive crucial afternoon homework support to keep up with their studies at school, maintaining school enrollment rates.
