Bachar Mohanna & Muslim Akil Center – Chiyah

What We Do ?

Chiyah is situated in the west region of the Lebanese capital of Beirut and is part of Greater Beirut, located in the south-west suburbs of the capital Beirut, bordered by Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, Hadath, Hazmiyeh, Furn-el-chebbak and Ain El Remanneh. However, today, it is a full part of the demographically huge Beirut outskirts totaling around 60,000 inhabitants.

The center has been hosting non-formal education activities since 2014. 300 Syrian and Lebanese children, as part of a sponsorship program (Parrinage) supported by French families and the NGO ADRA, 3 times a week at a rate of 3 hours per day of non-formal educational activities (tutoring in English, French and mathematics). Recreational activities, psychological support and events with community members are also organized.

The HaritHriek center is equipped with a vegetable garden on the roof of it as well as professional training in food production (cooking classes) are carried out within the center, in collaboration with the Inter-ministerial Committee for Food Aid (CIAA).
More than 200 people, refugees and Lebanese, benefit from this training component. On a weekly basis, hot meals prepared during training sessions and baskets of fruit and vegetables are distributed to vulnerable families living close to the center.

Since 2007, empowerment activities for youths were implemented in this center
Currently, 50 youths (per 4 month) benefit from the various services provided in the training funded by RDDP, such as technical training (computer and English classes), life-skills training (conflict resolution, communication, human rights and health training), vocational training (computer maintenance, graphic design and handicraft), recreational activities (drawing, theater), psychological support and community events.

This center is also hosting economic empowerment and self-development activities since 2011 to address the objective of the project “empowering Migrant Domestic Workers and Victims of Human Trafficking”.
The “Bachar Mohanna and Muslim Akil” center activities, related to Migrant Domestic Workers, are approximately reaching 50 beneficiaries every Sunday.