BEIRUT, LEBANON, May 25, 2012
The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with the Social Welfare Institutions of Lebanon – Dar al Aytam, formally opened the Ibrahim El-Hibri Campus, an orphanage and education center that will provide basic services such as food, clothing, shelter, primary healthcare, vaccines and medicines, and education to over 800 orphans and at-risk youth in Lebanon.
“The Foundation’s mission of building a better world by embracing the universally shared values of Islam: peace and social justice has greatly advanced because of our partnership and relationship with Dar Al-Aytam. They have given us a wonderful opportunity to help implement what is necessary to improve and ultimately transform a society,” said Mr. Fuad El-Hibri, Chairman of The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation, and son of Ibrahim El-Hibri, the visionary after whom the Campus is named. “My Father had a great love for family and believed in helping children less fortunate in life, particularly orphans. By naming this campus after him, we perpetuate his legacy and the spirit in which this project was conceived.”
Located within the Dar al Aytam Al Islamiyah Complex for Care and Social Development, the Ibrahim El-Hibri Campus is the second facility envisioned, funded, and built with support by the Foundation to serve as a home for disadvantaged youth. The Campus was built utilizing green architecture and features several buildings, including dormitories, classrooms, an auditorium, and a playground, among others, to promote the holistic well-being of the residents. The first orphanage and education center, Sheikh Mohamad Tawfiq El-Hibri Hall, has provided a home and education to over 1500 orphans and at risk youth since 2002.
The campus tour and dedication ceremony was attended by over 300 guests from the public and private sector. Highlights of the program included remarks by Dr. Khaled Kabbani, President of the Civil Service Board representing Prime Minister Najib Mikaty, Minister of Social Affairs Wael Abou Faour, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Dar al Aytam Al Islamiyah Mr. Farouk Jabre.
Dar Al Aytam seeks to empower disadvantaged youth through education, enabling them to develop their full potential and lead more productive lives by providing academic schooling and vocational training. Dar al Aytam has been providing relief to the poor, distressed, and underprivileged in Lebanon since 1917.
About the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation
The El-Hibri Charitable Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a better world by embracing the universally shared values of Islam: peace and social justice. Notable initiatives include the annual El-Hibri Peace Education Prize, which was founded in 2007 to recognize peace educators and promote peace education internationally, the Campus Deen Project, established in 2012 seeking greater social acceptance of American Muslim students in higher education, and constructing and supporting two orphanages in Lebanon that provide housing, education, and care for over 2,000 indigent children annually aimed at increasing productivity of disadvantaged youth in the Middle East.