The Lebanese Child Home Association

Association du Foyer de l’enfant Libanais

AFEL

The Lebanese Child Home Association (AFEL) is a non-profit, non-politically affiliated, non-religious civil association which has been founded in 1976, since then AFEL has taken care of more than 5000 children, enhancing the daily lives of countless people giving entire generations the means to be autonomous and responsible adults through a unique holistic approach which incorporates the family in the child’s rehabilitation process. We work to be actors of social change by raising social awareness and assisting children facing abuse, delinquency, and learning difficulties equipping them with the tools to protect themselves, become independent, and build resilience, thereby facilitating their insertion into society.

Mission and Vision

Mission

To assist children facing abuse, delinquency, and learning and communication difficulties by tending to their educational development and vocational training as well as equipping them with the tools to protect themselves, become independent, and build resilience, thereby facilitating their insertion into society.

Vision

To be the actor of social awareness around the necessity of adopting the principles of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child. To become a national reference in protecting and educating underprivileged and abused children.

Objective

All AFEL services aim to welcome the child and support him in his social, academic, identity, and emotional development so that he can successfully integrate into his family, environment, and, more broadly, his company.

Working Process

AFEL follows the procedure outlined below, which revolves around the beneficiary child.

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Principles of Work

The following are the general operating principles of the AFEL association.

  • Quality & professionalism of care

    • Non-discrimination principle: acceptance without regard to confession, origin, gender, or political affiliation.
    • Complementarity and multidisciplinary of professional staff working with children
    • Comprehensiveness of the approach
    • Involvement of all key stakeholders with an impact on child development
    • Mobilization & optimization of all capacities & the environment

  • Dialogue and Mediation

    • Except as a last resort, no substitution for family or state authority.
    • Reconciliation of points of view and conciliation of parties in conflicts or antagonistic situations
    • Willingness to involve parents
    • Mobilization of the child’s, his family’s, and the environment’s resources for the resolution of conflicts and problems
    • Definition of educational & collective frameworks
    • Raising citizenship awareness for all: employees, beneficiaries, donors

  • Awareness, Prevention & Intervention

    • Confrontation with the parties involved in the identified social problems
    • Capacity building and potential development
    • Rehabilitation of families in their roles: design of action plan and timeline, evaluation with family
    • Willingness to leave the assistant-ship in order to pursue a logic of advice and care services

History

L’association du foyer de L’enfant Libanais (AFEL) is a non-governmental organization officially recognized as a public benefit in 1987 by Decree No. 3872. It is non-political, and non-sectarian.

In 1976, she entered an orphanage in Bikfaya, El Metn.

Geographically, it reached Abiyeh in the Chouf in 1977, Jewar Al-Boashq in Keserwan and Sin El-Fil in 1979, and Bourj Hammoud in 1988.

Abey and Bikfaya centers are currently out of service.

In Bourj Hammoud and Jouar, a new remedial school was purchased in 2010.