Reference of Social Work In The Face of Crises and Disasters Booklets – Part Two
Researcher – Hiam Samaha Kahi
Research Assistant – Aimee Ghanem
During 13 years of the 1975 war, Mrs. Amal Harb’s initiative in Karm El
Zeitoun was a milestone that affected many aspects of life, beside relief work
and sheltering displaced people from various Lebanese regions as a result of
shelling nearby residential neighborhoods, and the deteriorating security
conditions in more than one region. There came health care, educational and
social programmes, direct work with families, awareness programmes with women
and girls, mentoring and counselling programmes with young men and women,
recreational, cultural and environmental programmes with children, and
development programmes.
One of the most important achievements was purchasing and equipping a
building in Karm El-Zeitoun to become a legitimate social centre called the
“Centre de Protection Maternelle et Infantile” of the Sisters of Charity in
Lebanon, where this social worker played at that time a fundamental role in
buying and equipping this building.
This experience was accompanied by plenty of diligence, patience and
overcoming difficulties. As Mrs. Harb said: “Mother Marie-Claire Saad and her
insight were my support in many stages of work…. I never stopped looking
forward to getting out of temporary relief work and launching development
projects with the participation of the neighborhood residents.”