5 minute read
The Challenge: Repairing the Homes of Akkar
At first, the villagers cried. Many were elderly or widowed. Assem ’87 and Ghaida Nawam stood awkwardly, trying hard not to stare at the abject poverty around them. No electricity, no running water. Several homes were sharing an outhouse. A flimsy curtain designated the shower area. There wasn’t even a proper kitchen to speak of.
They were in Akkar – an area with the highest poverty rate in the country, amounting to 63.3% of its population. The region is historically neglected and registers the worst household conditions in Lebanon after Hermel. It is an area where
many houses remain unconnected to the electricity grid and where access to public water supplies remains limited.
As she took in her bearings, Ghaida’s brain was already in motion. These Lebanese deserve to live in healthy, safe, and decent houses. They deserve to live with dignity. I know my team would be willing to help. So what if there is an economic crisis? This is the time to help. We must help.
Assem knew better than to question his wife. For once Ghaida gets hold of an idea, she doesn’t let go. And more often than not, she ends up succeeding. He saw his wife, a mother of three, build her own business from scratch and expand her business. In fact, in a few short years, she managed not only to thrive in Lebanon but also to open an office in Hong Kong.
True to her word, Ghaida immediately consulted her five-member team. Only a few months ago, she and this very team were busy creating and promoting gift ideas for their company, Siraj Art Gifts and Premiums.
But when the economic crisis hit earlier in the year and businesses began to lay off employees, Ghaida couldn’t fathom the very thought. No layoffs and no wage cuts. She had a good relationship with her team. They were family. And then it came to her. A little idea at first. A kind of inner yearning that she’s had for a long time but somehow just never did anything about it.
Business had been good in the past few years. Very good actually, until now. And so
Ghaida laid out her idea to her staff: I have enough money from last year’s sales to pay you – full salary - until the end of the year. In return, instead of all of us sitting around here getting depressed, let’s do something for others. Who is on board?
Her young employees, a close-knit group, not only jumped on board but were thrilled. Assem, the owner of an automotive parts company and a telecom business and a member of several NGOs, readily acquiesced, “a brilliant idea,” he added and moreover, provided his wife with a crucial detail: contacts through his company and NGOs – many of whom were IC alumni. Family members, friends from Lebanon, and abroad immediately offered support.
Together, they set to work contacting them, and called the initiative “Nusaned”, meaning we support.
The original philanthropic idea was to help struggling farmers cultivate alternative crops or create dairy farms, market, package and import their goods. A friend had suggested Akkar. Meetings with municipalities followed, and agreements were drawn up. And so the work began.
But now standing in the dilapidated homes of villagers, Nusaned team knew they couldn’t turn away. The meticulous planning began. Altogether, 300 houses in eight villages were identified as in desperate need of repairs.
To create work in the area, local Akkar contractors and laborers were commissioned. Municipalities gave their blessings as local NGOs signed up to give any needed assistance. Over 60 locals from Akkar signed up as volunteers.
A community spirit began spreading across the villages. . One thing was missing though: money.
Each house costs 8m LL to fix up. Despite the economic crisis in the country, Nusaned team did not doubt that the Lebanese will give. But how to get them to give quickly?
Ghaida had a brainwave: let’s use social media to launch a challenge. And so in December “The 300 challenge” was launched.
This is how it works, she explained: “I, Ghaida, will sponsor one house, and I challenge you (friend) to sponsor another and I challenge you to challenge ten of your contacts to do the same.”
The challenge was meant for friends only. But the message quickly spread across the country.
To the amazement and bewilderment of the Nawams themselves, over $500,000 poured in less than one month. Teams gathered to sponsor houses. Many of the donors were IC alumni. If not individually, then as graduating classes (ex: the class of 1985, 1987). One IC group in the US even created a grassroot movement to support Nusaned. Other donors included schools, nurseries, associations, businesses, etc.
“It was a snowball effect,” said Ghaida. “It was amazing. I couldn’t keep up.”
Now only a few months later, the Nawams and the team are turning their attention to another impoverished area in the country: Bekaa.
“There is much need in the country,” she said. “We can all sit around and feel depressed about the economic situation, or we can do something to help people. I am not alone. Everyone is helping in one way or another. The support of the Lebanese people has been amazing.”
COVID 19 UPDATE
A month after the country shut down and the NGO’s work was forced to halt, Nusaned rebounded with several projects aimed at helping villagers deal with COVID-19 and its consequences. It bought and distributed 25,000 face shields and continued with its project of distributing 3500 food parcels and providing 2000 gas refills to villagers. Througout Ramadan, it distributed one million loaves of bread throughout the country thus reopening many closed bakeries. It is also about to launch four new projects aimed at helping farmers and villagers sustain themselves. Meanwhile, assessments for the renovation of houses continue and construction is scheduled to resume throughout the summer.
