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Rebuild the Ahliah School community in Beirut

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Beirut, Lebanon is reeling in the aftermath of an explosion that rocked the city on August 4, 2020 at 6 PM. A massive explosion at the Beirut port sending shockwaves and destroyed much of the city. The Beirut port is adjacent to the city’s historic quarter and within a few miles of some of Beirut’s most vital organizations. 

Among the organizations in close proximity is the Ahliah School. The Ahliah School  is an internationally accredited independent and nonsectarian school dedicated to educating the community through grades K-12. It has educated students in the heart of Beirut since 1916. The school provides teaching in both Arabic and English and is one of the few schools in Beirut with specialized integrated support for students with learning differences and different abilities.

Ahliah School school has rebuilt before.  During the Lebanese Civil War, the school found itself on the battle lines and sustained heavy damage. After the war, the school opened its doors to the homeless families squatting in the damaged buildings in the vicinity and offered scholarships to students in need. Today, Ahliah finds itself needing to rebuild the school again while (now remotely) educating its largely working class students in the midst of Lebanon’s most trying times.

How Ahliah is navigating the current economic and humanitarian crisis:

•  Ahliah School is less than 2km away from the Beirut blast zone and suffered significant property damage from the August 4th blast.
•  Ahliah is a US accredited independent school
•  Ahliah school tuitions are denominated in Lebanese Pounds. The currency has lost 85% of its real value since the start of the crisis in October 2019
•  Ahliah continued to pay its teachers full salaries months after many organizations were forced to cut salaries due to the ongoing economic crisis
•  The Ahliah School community is largely working class and the school is considered one of the few affordable schools with instruction in English
•  Ahliah is currently committed to keeping tuition fixed for the coming academic year and is working on their plans to support further remote teaching in a community where devices, electricity, and connectivity are not to be taken for granted

Lebanon is a strong and resilient country but it needs our help. This fundraiser will support the school's rebuilding efforts. The school's immediate needs include reconstruction, technology devices to support distance learning for pupils who cannot afford it, and salary continuation for teachers.

Who are we? We are family and friends of the Ahliah School leadership living and working in the United States. We will send all funds raised via international wire transfer in US dollars to the school’s bank account at Bank Audi in Lebanon.

Lebanon needs our help. Many fantastic and hard working organizations are raising money right now  and we encourage anyone able to donate to any organization working in the country. We thank you all for your help and support.

(Photos of damage at the Ahliah School taken on August 5, 2020)

Donations 

  • Lisa Baytala
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • Bob Heidkamp
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • Kathryn Kilner
    • $100 
    • 4 yrs
  • Wadad Cortas
    • $2,500 
    • 4 yrs
  • Mariam C Said
    • $500 
    • 4 yrs

Fundraising team: Ahliah School Int'l Community (2)

Elena Cryst
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
Omar El Ayach
Team member

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