Amel Association International was pleased to host the Ambassador of France, His Excellency Bruno Foucher. The aim of the visit was for His Excellency Bruno Foucher to get to know Amel Association International and its activities.
First, the Ambassador was welcomed at Dr. Kamel Mohanna’s house in Khiam during which Dr. Mohanna presented Amel’s work and team. The official delegation headed to Khiam’s health care center, one of the oldest centers of Amel.
This center provides primary health care, with the financial support from UNHCR. Khiam’s center is part of the Primary Health Care Centers Network of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Vocational training for Syrian and Lebanese youth and psycho-social activities for children and their parents have also been implemented in that center, and funded by France, through its « crédits sortie de crise ».
Following the visit at the center, Dr. Mohanna showed Ambassador Foucher the Mobile Medical and Education Units that work in the Marjayoun region. Mr. Foucher was able to see Amel’s team working with the Syrian refugees in one of the camps of the region. The Mobile Medical Unit was originally funded by Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs when it was created in 2014, but funding will be provided by l’Agence française pour le Développement starting from the beginning of next year. The Mobile Education Unit is a more recent project, supported by French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offering both educational support and cultural activities to refugee children living in camps. These Mobile Units have proved to be a real success and another Mobile Education Unit will be implemented in the West Beqaa.
To end the visit in Khiam, the official delegation went to the Soap cooperative of Ebl El Saqi, initiated by Amel. This cooperative was created for women living in Ebl El Saqi to give them access to work, financial resources, and to develop local craft.
This visit was also a wonderful opportunity to thank the French Embassy for the financial and moral support that helped make Amel’s vision become a reality.
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