I joined FHS UOB in April 1997 and worked at the Department
of Community Engagement since then. The first programs
to be established were "The Arab Forum for Social Sciences
and Health", The Landmines Resource Center, "The Healthier
School Program", and "The Healthier Society Program". Public
health and development were at the core of our interventions.
They made our momentum. Community participation, respect,
and ownership were the mottos behind. Over the years, we
developed solid partnerships with all those concerned with
community development in the country while building our
interventions to be people centered. We worked and we are
still working with the Ministry of Defense and the Lebanese
Army, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education and
Higher Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the
Ministry of Public health. We worked and we are still working
with boys, girls, men, and women, with families, as well as
communities of children, adolescents, youth, mothers, fathers,
elderly, disabled, displaced, and refugees all over Lebanon.
We are grateful to our donors including the EU, and UN
agencies, mainly UNICEF. We are grateful to all our partners:
individuals, organizations, municipalities, and communities.
We try our best to join efforts with all those concerned to
contribute to meeting developmental needs of our country
while trying to mitigate risks and overcoming challenges.
No development could take place when, together with
beneficiaries, we do not look together in the same directions,
to meet common objectives reflecting true needs of our
people. Sometimes, the best impact indicator relies in
counting smiling hearts and eyes, which is unfortunately not
smart indicator to measure the wished outcome.
Our Community Engagement Department includes a great
multi-disciplinary team that makes all the difference and
marks all the successes.
• Habbouba Aoun, Doctorate in Public Health and
Development, MPH
• Gretta Shoucair, MS Food Technology, TD
• Rana Barazi, Doctorate in Business Administration , MPH,
PMP
• Sanaa Chabbani, MA School Counseling
• Rachelle Daoud, MPH, Doctor of Physiotherapy
• Hanan Masri, BS Public Health
• Micheline Kobrossi, MPH
• Zeina Saliba, DEA (diploma in advanced studies in Sociology)
• Cecile Lahoud, Secretary
Our Programs in Few Words:
• On The Healthier School Program: Healthy children are better
students and the cornerstone for building a healthy society.
On that basis, we are instrumental in contributing to the
development of the school health curriculum at the Ministry
and in training the majority of school health educators
in public schools in Lebanon. We develop and execute
awareness campaigns and sessions for teachers, students
and parents on various life skills including physical, mental
and psychological health; social development; emergency
preparedness and safety measures; environmental issues;
communication skills; career guidance and others.
• On the Healthier Society Program: Our mission is to enhance
social cohesion and public health by targeting the health
determinants which have the greatest impact on health
at a population level. We work to ensure the provision of
accessible, stable, diverse, secure and equitable services and
not solely to prevent or reduce diseases and ailments.
We focus on policies and leverage on governmental
authorities, non-profit and private sector as well as
communities. This vision is materialized through the work
of our centers for Women and Gender Sciences, Relief and
Development, Promotion of Mental Health and the Displaced,
Refugees and Host Communities in Lebanon.
• On the Landmines Resource Center: Under the supervision
of the Lebanon Mine Action Center of the Lebanese Army,
we provide reliable information concerning the landmines
issue and the needs of survivors. We also promote mine risk
awareness and liaise between all stakeholders for victims’
assistance and advocate appropriate policies and standards
as one of the key decision-makers in that domain.
Director of the Secondary Public School in Aindara.
I sincerely thank you and the team of the University of
Balamand, for the distinguished and professional activity
that was crowned by a wonderful theatrical photography. I
also thank you all for following the preventive and sanitary
measures in the light of the coronavirus pandemic as
no health condition was recorded between the students
or participants and that is not new for you as we have
shared in a lot of great and successful projects before. I
wish you health and the University of Balamand continued
glory and progress. Ain Dara's Official Secondary School
Director Samir Najem.
Volunteer from Akkar
When the illiteracy eradication and adult learning program was announced in my villages, I tried to stop it. I was angry at Ms. Habbouba and resisted her approach, but
she convinced me to join, and I joined. I succeeded in
getting a technical Brevet and now I have a job and a
monthly salary. I am thankful, (M.H., Bebnin, Akkar).
Mine Survivor from Aarsal
I lost my leg for a mine explosion in September 2018. I thought
it was the end of my life. I joined the LMRC rehabilitation
program. I got a prosthetic limb, and I am walking again. I
participated in a psychosocial support program. I joined an
income generation project and received 200 egg-laying hens
in July 2020. I am economically independent, and I am getting
married.
Family from Tyr
I am the father of two boys who were both victimized by a
mine explosion. With my wife, we went into serious problems
at all levels, health, social, and economic. Then, we joined the
LMRC rehabilitation program. My wife attended a psychosocial
support program and an income generation training. She
won a sewing machine. Both my boys received physical
rehabilitation and a grant to continue education in a vocational
training institute. One of them graduated with a hairdressing
certificate and received a grant to open a hairdresser shop.
The other one is going to have his TS public exams this year.
Thank you.