Saint-Gobain foundation 4th solidarity project in Lebanon

Saint Vincent de Paul is a non-profit organization mainly geared towards disadvantaged or marginalized people with an objective of serving the poor with love, respect, justice and joy.

Thanks to Saint-Gobain foundation, the construction of an artisanal workshop in Chahtoul was possible and is today operational.

Chahtoul, a small village in Keserwan, with few activities around sewing, embroidery, decorated candles, pastry, honey and different products as aromatic herbs and thyme, etc…This workshop will create jobs and provide support for around 25 very rural families. The cost of this project is estimated to 150,000$, the foundation has contributed with 50,000 Euros.

The overall project includes a retirement home and an Alzheimer’s Building that is supervised by the Conference Saint-Vincent de Paul.

The Saint-Vincent de Paul Conference have  launched in 2016 in Chahtoul the cultivation of Thyme. Also, walnut trees had been planted in order to develop beekeeping. Trainings were organized in February March 2017 by a beekeeper from Saidoun and 10 beehives were funded, then 40 hives to produce 200Kg of honey / year then 50 hives in 2018 with marketing of beekeeping products to supply the retirement home and distribute in small shops and in the BIO network that exists in Lebanon.

The project now concerns the establishment of a honey processing unit in the fields of Cosmetology (soap, creams) and food (Gingerbread, Nougat and others (candle, embroidery). The workshop will include locations for the conservation of raw materials (fridge, drying, stock), a room packaging and packaging and a storage room for finished products. On the mezzanine, a kitchen, a meeting room and offices.

Today, young people move to Beirut for lack of work where it is very expensive to find accommodation. This type of activities (honey, decoration, embroidery) allow women to work and stay close to their children. The interest of this project is to make a village live in a sustainable way around healthy and natural products (honey, thyme) around the creation of a retirement home (already built) and an Alzheimer’s institute (in project) which also will create jobs and serve others, the most vulnerable and the weakest.

Contact details: Myrna Raad