Amel Association International

Amel Association International is a Lebanese, non-sectarian, nonprofit nongovernmental organization founded in 1979 by physician Kamel Mohanna in response to the violence, displacement, and destruction associated with the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Its name, Amel, is associated with the Arabic word for hope. The organization emerged during the Lebanese Civil War as a civil-society response to urgent humanitarian needs and initially concentrated on emergency relief, medical care, support for war-affected communities, and assistance to displaced people. During its early years, Amel operated a broad emergency network that included centers and dispensaries, rural hospitals, ambulances, and civil-defense capacity. Its work was directed at affected populations without distinction based on sect, religion, political affiliation, nationality, or other identity. Following the 1989 Taif Agreement and the gradual shift from open conflict toward reconstruction, Amel began moving from a primarily emergency-oriented model to a longer-term development and rights-based approach. This transition involved organizational restructuring, changes to its centers and responsibilities, and a greater emphasis on sustainable access to services and community capacity. Amel's principal areas of activity include primary health care, vaccination and medicine distribution, education, child protection, psychosocial support, vocational training, human-capacity development, protection of migrant domestic workers, and rural development. Its education and child-protection work has included remedial and accelerated-learning support, early-childhood activities, day-care services, awareness sessions, recreational programs, and psychosocial assistance for children and families. Vocational programs have particularly sought to expand opportunities for women and young people. Its migrant domestic-worker program has combined rights awareness, language instruction, psychological support, and skills development. The organization has also responded to regional crises affecting Lebanon. In April 2012, it launched a Syrian Refugee Emergency Response program for Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities. The response included primary health care, distribution of food and clothing, and other assistance intended to support dignified living conditions. Amel's operating model combines fixed centers with mobile clinics and partnerships with Lebanese public institutions, universities, international nongovernmental organizations, United Nations agencies, and donor institutions. Reference material describes a network serving disadvantaged areas including the southern Beirut suburbs, the Bekaa region, and South Lebanon. In 2010, Amel established an international structure under the name Amel Association International and opened representation in Geneva. The organization has held consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2010. It has also participated in Lebanese, Arab, and international civil-society networks, including the Collective of Lebanese NGOs, the Collective of Arab NGOs, ICVA, and the Global Coalition for Social Protection. Its stated philosophy is grounded in universal human rights, social solidarity, equal citizenship, and opposition to discrimination. Amel's work therefore combines direct service delivery with public awareness, rights education, humanitarian coordination, and advocacy for people facing poverty, displacement, exclusion, or abuse.

Amel Association was created in Lebanon in 1979 by physician Kamel Mohanna, with support from professors, journalists, and intellectuals. Its formation followed the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon and the resulting massacres, displacement, and damage to civilian infrastructure. The organization was established as a non-sectarian response to the needs of war-affected communities and developed an emergency network of medical and social facilities. During the Lebanese Civil War, Amel concentrated on immediate assistance. Its historical activities included operating centers and dispensaries, supporting rural hospitals, organizing ambulances, and maintaining civil-defense capacity. The association provided medical and humanitarian help to wounded people, displaced communities, and other populations affected by conflict. This early model treated access to assistance as a universal right rather than a service limited by religious, political, or communal identity. The 1989 Taif Agreements marked a major contextual change by ending fifteen years of civil war and opening a gradual transition toward reconstruction and relative peace. After roughly a decade focused largely on emergency relief, Amel reassessed its role. It undertook an interim restructuring that included changes to its board arrangements, centers, and internal distribution of tasks. The organization increasingly combined crisis assistance with development programs intended to strengthen communities and expand access to rights and services over time. From the 1990s onward, Amel broadened its social-development work. Vocational and educational training programs were introduced in several centers, with particular attention to women and young people. Health activities included primary consultations, vaccination campaigns, and medicine distribution. Education and child-protection activities addressed barriers facing out-of-school children and included remedial courses, accelerated-learning support, kindergartens, day-care services, recreational activities, and psychosocial assistance. Rights-awareness initiatives addressed issues such as child labor, domestic violence, and adolescent well-being. The association also developed programs for migrant domestic workers, including English lessons, rights-awareness sessions, psychological support, and capacity-building workshops. In March 2012, it joined a consortium of nongovernmental organizations working to improve coordination and assistance for this population. Its rural-development work included an agricultural cooperative in Ebl el-Saqi, begun in April 2004 with European and Italian partner support. One activity associated with the cooperative was the production of organic soap using essential oils and medicinal plants. The Syrian conflict created a new large-scale humanitarian challenge for Lebanon. In April 2012, Amel began its Syrian Refugee Emergency Response, serving both displaced Syrians and vulnerable Lebanese host communities. The program included primary health care and distributions of food and clothing, reflecting Amel's practice of combining direct relief with support for longer-term social inclusion. In 2010, the organization created Amel Association International and opened a Geneva representation. That year it also obtained consultative status with ECOSOC. Amel has participated in Lebanese and Arab NGO networks and in wider humanitarian and social-protection coalitions. Its partnerships have included United Nations agencies, international NGOs, public ministries, universities, embassies, and Lebanese civil-society groups. Across its history, the organization has retained a stated commitment to universal human rights, equal citizenship, solidarity, and opposition to discrimination.

• 2012

  Syrian Refugee Emergency Response begins

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Amel launches a comprehensive response for Syrian refugees and affected Lebanese host communities.

• 2010

  International structure and ECOSOC status

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Amel establishes its international association, opens a Geneva representation, and receives consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

• 2004

  Ebl el-Saqi rural cooperative begins

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Amel starts an agricultural cooperative project in Ebl el-Saqi with European Commission and Africa 70 support.

• 2003

  Mohanna takes regional NGO-network roles

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Kamel Mohanna is appointed General Coordinator of both the Lebanese NGO Network and the Arab NGO Network.

• 1990

  Vocational training expands

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Amel begins establishing vocational and educational training programs in several centers, with emphasis on women and youth.

• 1989

  Postwar transition begins

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The Taif Agreements end the Lebanese Civil War and provide the context for Amel's shift from predominantly emergency relief toward longer-term development work.

• 1979

  Amel Association is founded

  [1]Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Kamel Mohanna and a group of Lebanese academics and public intellectuals create Amel in response to the humanitarian consequences of the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon.

A non-sectarian Lebanese humanitarian and development organization combining emergency response, community services, human-rights education, and long-term social development.

• Health care

  Primary health-care services

  Amel provides community-based primary health care through centers and mobile clinics in disadvantaged areas. Activities have included medical consultations, vaccination campaigns, medicine distribution, and cooperation with schools and local institutions to broaden access to basic care.

• Education and social protection

  Education and child protection

  Programs support children who are out of school or require accelerated learning, while also offering remedial courses, early-childhood activities, day care, recreational programming, and rights-awareness sessions. Psychosocial support addresses children and families facing poverty, displacement, or insecurity.

• Training · 1990

  Vocational and human-capacity development

  Vocational and educational training initiatives seek to improve personal and economic capabilities, particularly among women and young people. The programs form part of Amel's longer-term development approach rather than its original emergency-relief model.

• Human rights and protection · 2012

  Migrant domestic-worker protection

  This service area combines rights education, English lessons, psychological support, and capacity-building workshops for migrant domestic workers. It also seeks to clarify employer responsibilities and prevent abuse through awareness and coordination with partner organizations.

• Rural development · 2004

  Rural development and organic soap cooperative

  The Ebl el-Saqi cooperative links agricultural development with local production. One documented activity is the manufacture of organic soap using essential oils and medicinal plants, developed with European and Italian partner support.

• 2012Syrian Refugee Emergency Response

  Lebanon

  A comprehensive humanitarian program for Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities affected by the Syrian conflict, including primary health care and food and clothing distributions.

  Outcome. The program expanded Amel's emergency role during the Syrian crisis and served both refugee and host populations.

  Source
• Free vaccination and medicine campaigns

  Lebanon

  Amel organizes free vaccination, medicine-distribution, and consultation activities in cooperation with local institutions and schools to improve access to primary care.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of Syrian refugee emergency programmingOther

  Background

  The Syrian conflict produced a large refugee population and placed additional pressure on Lebanese host communities.

  Action taken

  Amel introduced a wide emergency response covering refugees and affected host populations.

  Aftermath

  Its service portfolio incorporated a major regional displacement response alongside its established community programs.

  Source

• 2010

  Internationalization through Geneva representationStrategy

  Background

  Amel sought a stronger international institutional presence while remaining rooted in Lebanese civil society.

  Action taken

  It established Amel Association International and opened a representation in Geneva.

  Aftermath

  The organization gained a formal base for international engagement and held ECOSOC consultative status from the same year.

  Source

• 1989

  Shift from emergency relief to developmentStrategy

  Background

  The end of the Lebanese Civil War created an opportunity to reassess an organization built around wartime assistance.

  Action taken

  Amel reorganized its board, centers, and responsibilities and began placing greater emphasis on longer-term development and rights-based services.

  Aftermath

  The association broadened its work into education, vocational training, health, protection, and rural development.

  Source

1. 1Amel Association Internationalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Amel Association International official websitefrench.amel.org