Launching this fundraising on behalf of Ahed Houjairy the founder of Smile of Hope Center.

Smile of Hope Center for children with disabilities in Arsal Lebanon provides integrated services such as rehabilitation, education, psychological support and social integration, for more than 200 disabled children from Lebanese locals and Syrian refugees in the town on Arsal Lebanon.

The center was launched in 2021 due to absence of integrated centers for children with cerebral palsy, autism, and Down's syndrome..

The center is located in Arsal Lebanon, a village 124 km away from Beirut inhabited by 40000 Lebanese citizens and 60000 Syrian refugees.

Due to the economic crisis, poverty in the area of Baalbek, and the lack of support from local institutions, I am launching this fundraising to help more than 200 disabled child in my hometown.

Let me tell me you more about the beginning, in 2013 I moved to Poland to study, and my nephew Hani was born few days before my flight. We were so sad when we realised he suffer from cerebral palsy and he is unable to walk. My sister Ahed changed her life plans to support my nephew and enrolled in Special Education faculty to learn how to educate and support kids with special needs, after she graduated she started her MA degree in Management of Social Work and Organisations to fulfil her dreams and launch an integrated center for hundreds of disabled children like my nephew Hani.

Ahed was able with the family support to launch the center in 2021 and many families were happy and encouraged to send their children to the centre and with the passage of time the parents noticed significant improvement in their children abilities and communication.

Sadly many families were not financially free due to poverty, especially after the economic crisis in Lebanon 2019, plenty of families couldn't even send their children nor afford the costs of 50 USD monthly. My sister contacted several institutions asking for support but until the moment the support was solely logistical to improve the facility's equipments.

My sister Ahed was and still paying additional money on the center for the salaries and other costs only not to dim the hope of the parents who wish to see their children walking, speaking, or getting educated like other children and hopefully in future being effective members of the society.

You can find our center from the links and contact the staff and even video chat with the children.