Voix De La Femme Libanaise "Historique"

To Facilitate the access in this page according to the dates(years) a table below has been established it takes you directly to the year that interests you

1975-76	1977-78	1980-81	1982-83	1984-85	1985-86
1989-90	1991-92	1993-94	1995-96	1998	1998-2006

In the year 1970, a few ladies under the guidance of Mrs. Lily Sara, started working in the social field. Samira Hakim, Bicha Boulos, Mountaha Sawan, Yvette Ballouz and Andree Jamhouri.

The work started by visiting the prisoners and relaying messages between them and their families.
Then a library in English, Arabic and French was created.
Afterward the ladies managed to have a priest and a sheikh give the prisoners some notion of religion and morality.

. 1975

War started in Lebanon in the district of Ain-El-Remmaneh.

The group's activities covered mostly the victims of this disaster, that were living near the fighting area, and the people that were driven out of their villages.

1976

The social problems worsening, other ladies joined in and formed a team under the name of l'Equipe their motto was
Not only compassion but also action.

Calling on friends and neighbors. Donation in the form of food, clothes, household and medication poured in, from all the areas. In December, the village of Damour was destroyed, the inhabitants run away to Beirut and Jounieh; they were placed in convents, schools or in family's houses.
L'Equipe offers them food and medication. Afterwards, courses in sewing and languages were organized with the help of the Sister of Saint Coeur.

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1977

During the short period of peace in November 76, l'Equipe thought of the workers looking for jobs.
3 recruitment offices were opened, and jobs for 722 persons were found.

1978 Juillet

Heavy shelling of Beirut, the families are detained in shelters for a long time. L'Equipe defies danger and distributes covers, towels, pampers milk for babies. More than 10000 covers were distributed. Some were given to hospitals hit by the shelling.

L'Equipe deploring the situation, organized a silent march

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1980

82 families flee their village in North Lebanon they were taken in charge and placed in the convent of Notre Dame de la Visitation, Antoura. Provisions for 8 months were provided as well as stoves and irons.

1980- 1981

The ladies of l'Equipe meeting at Lily Sara dwelling, decided to continue their work and establish an association, they chose the name of "Voice of the Lebanese Woman" and obtained an official permit.

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.	Décernbre 1982

The Voice of the Lebanese Woman, distributes gifts (sweaters, games, sweets) to 142 families still living in their modest houses near the demarcation line

1983

Inhabitants flew their villages in the mountain. Many ladies motivated by our cause join us and helped in taking charge of more than 300 refugee families by distributing, covers, pillows, underwear, shoes, stoves, heater and food.
Christmas 1983
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we distributed gifts to all these families, sweaters and sweets. And to each mother, cups, teacups, spoons, forks and an envelope containing LL 250.
80 sewing machines were given to the women who knew how to use them.
The smile on the faces, covered with tears, was a very moving Thank You to the donors.

1983-1984

A meeting with World Vision was very positive, we started collaborating more closely. We contacted St. Vincent de Paul they responded to our call and collaboration was initiated.

An SOS reached us, more than 600 families dislodged were living in hovels in an area where the infrastructure was destroyed by war.

The Ladies of "Voice of the Lebanese Woman " went to the area, the findings were shattering, no water, no electricity. These families were living in alarming conditions. The environment polluted by the foul smelling of the sewers, mountains of dirt, all sort of sickness was possible.

" Voice of the Lebanese Women" found a place in the area and converted it into a Medical- Social-Center.

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.	Janvierl984

L' UNICEF finances the works done to repair the broken sewer of the area. The public services exceeded by the ladies insistence did some reparation, the mountains of dirt where cleaned.
A feeling of trust was established between the inhabitants and the center.
A social and medical service is organized in Fanar.

1984-1985

The association plans to help another population the one close to the demarcation line. Investigation and assessment:

No infrastructure, house damaged by shelling.
No shelter, no electricity, no water, no telephone.
An unhealthy promiscuity man, women, children, old and sick people share the same place feeling safer.
No human assistance.
The dislodged people were occupying skeleton of buildings close to the demarcation line.

Always with the help of World Vision the" Voice of the Lebanese Women" rents a ground floor in a deserted school in Ain-el-Remmaneh to receive the families, comfort them and give them the first necessities.
The center is entrusted to a social assistant and becomes the haven of the area. People meet and have different activities.
A nursery for children from 2 to 4 years, priority is given to the women who work.
Courses of professional sewing, broidery, painting on fabrics, typing, to the widows and young girls so they can learn a job and have small revenue.
Courses of French and English for student because of the irregularity of school programs.
Summer camps in quiet villages for 250 children, so they can see the sun and enjoy the fresh air.

1- Educational:
Around 330 children obtained a sponsorship from overseas. Since 1990 more than 700 children are sponsored by Belgian donators and have scholarship.
2-- Familial:
During the summer camp, we realized how much the children trauma was important.
The first night a child wanted to sleep in the cupboard afraid of the sniper. At the end of the summer camp, the children hided in the trees, not wanting to return to "hell".
The center gives adequate help, like medicine or milk for children or sometimes even a small monthly installment to help them survive.
The YMCA and World Vision helped us cover the expenses of the summer camp and the activities of our 2 centers.

1985

The scouts of France send us a batch of reading books and novels. Friends give us a place in Achrafieh, a library is opened BOOK IN . The money earned from renting the books, helped us buy the insulin for diabetics.

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.	1985-1986

Recession, the Lebanese pound is devaluated, the middle class is poorer, immigration is massive.
Impoverished families cannot afford to pay their children school. The association sees a disaster; education is one of the most precious things to save.

The President of our organization sends an S.O.S asking people to sponsor children; friends of the Voice of the Lebanese Women broadcast this message in different medias in France and United States. It did hit a target.

The association starts giving scholarship to the children of the dislodged families.

An office is rented in the church of Notre Dame des Dons, to organize the work.

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. 1989- 1990

The president of the association, Mrs. Sara was introduced in Belgium to " Oeuvres Sociales et Educatives des jésuites au Tiers-Monde", she described in a talk the situation after the war.
- Social problems
- The despair of the youngster not able to pursue their studies.
- She said" We count on them to rebuild Lebanon, and suggested to the donors to orient their donation toward scholarship

Reaction: The Belgian people generosity exceeds our hope. They sponsor more than 3500 children. Thus paying the third of the school fees. A regular correspondence is established between the children and their sponsor. A friendship is sealed between our association and the leaders of the Belgian charity.
We can never thank the moral and material support of the Pere Jesuit of Brussels, as well as the help and devotion of our dears Mrs. Nicole Blondeau, Viviane Schaeken and Irene Harou for keeping the good relation between sponsor and sponsored.

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. 1991-1992

Unfortunately, the end of the war is not the end of the people's suffering. Economic crises arise and the currency collapses.
The people exhausted by 16 years of war were broken down by the incontrollable rise of price.

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. 1993

The school where our center was located was reopening. We had to evacuate and find other premises in the region.
On the 20th of April, an anonymous donation allows us to buy an apartment of 160 square meters.
On the 16th October our new premises are inaugurated.
This center is called St. Hubert in gratitude to the noble donor who remained anonymous.

1994

A new decree law was issued allowing the dislodged to return to their homes. The families have to evacuate the houses they occupied, in counterpart a small indemnity was paid to them.
For these families, this evacuation is harder than the first dislodgement, because houses are hard to find or very expensive.
"Voice of the Lebanese Woman " was able thanks to donation to help some families, rent or sometimes buy small houses paying them the first installment.
That year we were asked to evacuate the house were our center in Fanar was.
The Ministry of Deportees judged our center important for the region and paid us the rent for new premises, for the period of 3 years. This enables us to offer medical and social assistance to the residents of the area, Muslims and Christians equally.

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. 1995 (Mois deMai)

70 sponsors organized a trip to meet the children sponsored by them.
The next day of their arrival, the children and their parents met their sponsors at the hotel, the meeting was very touching.
They spend the whole day together.
They also visited our 2 centers

1996

The 6th June Israel made an aggression on South Lebanon called "Les raisins de la Colere" The villages were severely bombarded, the inhabitants run away.
"Voice of the Lebanese Woman" helped, foodstuff were bought and distributed to the families that came to our center.
During that year, the association received an important donation, thank to which were able to buy a land in Ain-el-Remmaneh aiming at building a center for the youngster of the area. To build the center we count on heavenly providence which never let us down.
Another group of sponsors visited their children some coming for the 2nd time. Since the beginning of the year, the construction of our center started. .

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. 1998

Our center is build and we don't believe what we see, all the ladies agree to say that this is our reward for 30 years of social work. All that was possible thanks to the generosity of our Belgian donors. The center was inaugurated on the 17th October.

Important to our mission, this new center is only a grain of wheat planted in the dry land of misery, but it will grow and bear fruits as long as there is love to water it.
"Voice of the Lebanese Woman" thanks all her donors and collaborators. It is proud of their confidence and respects their will, assuring them of its gratitude and that of the beneficiaries.

. 1998-2006

Social activities have progressed even though our country is still going through an endless tunnel. The ladies of the association are even more motivated to keep the work going on strong.
In 2004, The Voice of the Lebanese Woman renovated the ruined stairs that connect Beydoun road tothe independence avenue in Achrafieh, with the participation of the neighbourhood inhabitant the stairs were restored in 3 months.
2005 a big effort was made to desalt the water in the region of Ain el Remmaneh where our Centre St. Hubert is located. This problem was causing lip's burns and eurhythmies buttock of babies, fixing the water problem coasted $16000
In 2006 the social medical centre of fanar, received a dental chair donated by the foundation of EMIR WALID BEN TALAL. Due to the need for this kind of service, the first day 55 check up were done, the patient pays a very modest amount of money for the treatment which is usually fixed in all dispensaries.
Another donation was made by the Baabda Rotary Club a table of ultrasound gynaecology will be useful to the gynaecologist of our social-medical centre of fanar.
In the same year, our St. Hubert'center received the donation for a dental doctor's office offered by:JANASA LA MAISON JACQUES ET NAYLA SAADE,the medical care given is at a very affordable price
.In July 2006 Lebanon went through 33 days of heavy bombardment by Israel, 40 villages in the south were destroyed, 300000 refugees were displaced to Beirut. The Voice of the Lebanese helped and organised the first aid to the displaced as much as we could afford.
A heaven sent donation by our 2500 Belgian sponsors, allowed us to help. Three ladies from the association went to the south when the hostilities ended; they were preceded by 3 trucks loaded with needs. They visited 5 villages where were distributed 600 mattresses, 500 covers, kitchen tools, stoves, anoraks, cleaning tools, foods, remedy, and cash money to the most needy. All this was possible thanks to the generosity of our Belgium Sponsors
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"We would like to thank all the associations and sponsors who helped us:
L'Emir Walid Ben Talal for the dental chair
JANASA for dental cabinet,
Rotary Cosmopolitan Club for the equipment of the St. Hubert centre and the nursery.
World Vision for all the organised activities.
Baabda Rotary Club for the gynecologique ultrasound Y.M.C.A, ANERA,
as well as the Lebanese and Belgian sponsors and the anonymous donors."

Written by Mrs. Yvette Ballouz

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St. Hubert Center Chiah, Beirut - Lebanon Tel: 01- 276064	Medical Social Center Fanar Zeaitrieh Beirut - Lebanon Tel: 01 684362
Email:	l lavfl@helpvfl.com