A delegation from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) visited the Dr. Ghazi Beydoun Health and Social Center, operated by Amel Association International in Burj al-Barajneh, to review the center’s programs and operations and to strengthen cooperation in supporting vulnerable populations, particularly migrant workers.
The visiting delegation included Matthew Luciano, Jean Khoury, Farah Jradi, and Joelle Maana, and was welcomed by the center’s team in the presence of Dr. Kamel Mohanna, Founder and President of Amel, Dr. Zeina Mohanna, board member, and Mohamed Al Zayed, health coordinator at Amel.
For over 45 years, this center has stood as a cornerstone of community support, providing crucial services to thousands of residents from the neighborhood and beyond — including Lebanese citizens, refugees, and migrant workers from diverse backgrounds. It remains one of Amel’s most established and deeply rooted centers, offering an integrated system of healthcare, social support, and development programs.
The visit began with a tour of the facility’s various departments, where the delegation witnessed firsthand the center’s long-standing efforts to uphold human dignity and rights by ensuring fair access to primary healthcare, lab testing, psychosocial support, awareness campaigns, women and girls’ empowerment programs, and services dedicated to the protection of migrant workers.
Despite the significant damage caused to surrounding buildings during the most recent conflict, the Amel team emphasized that the center swiftly resumed its full operations just days after the ceasefire, embodying the organization’s philosophy of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination.
Dr. Zeina Mohanna welcomed the delegation, highlighting the center’s decades-long role in protecting marginalized communities and delivering services without discrimination. She noted that its ability to rise again after devastation reflects its deep connection with the community and underscores the importance of having resilient, field-based institutions.
She reiterated Amel’s unwavering commitment to the people it serves, stating that needs don’t wait for stability and that Amel’s teams continue their mission despite the most difficult circumstances. She stressed that partnerships built on mutual respect and joint action — such as with IOM — are essential to empowering migrant workers and ensuring their access to protection and services.
Placing the visit in a broader context, Dr. Mohanna called for the application of international law and an end to ongoing wars in the region, stating that the Lebanese population has been drained by years of crisis and violations. She emphasized the need for a genuine recovery phase, built on collaboration between local institutions and international organizations, affirming that protecting human beings requires collective action with the person at the center.
Members of the IOM delegation expressed deep appreciation for Amel’s field-based approach and praised the center’s resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges. They commended the dedication of Amel’s teams and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening cooperation and developing joint programs to support migrants and other vulnerable populations.
This visit comes as part of the ongoing partnership between Amel Association International and the International Organization for Migration, with Amel serving as an observer member of IOM — a recognition of its pioneering efforts in advocating for migrant workers’ rights. Since 2011, Amel has been implementing a dedicated program to protect domestic workers and combat human trafficking, responding to a regional context where legal protections for domestic workers remain largely absent and violations often go unchecked due to weak regulatory frameworks.
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