Traveling abroad can be an opportunity to engage in philanthropy wherever you go. As part of our Travel Philanthropy series, we’ve taken you to Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and now—our second featured stop this summer—Lebanon. The country is home to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, and together they reflect the tremendous diversity of the communities they work to serve.
Two prominent examples are the Association for Forests, Development, and Conservation (AFDC) and, alternatively, INJAZ Lebanon (IL).
If you’re passionate about the environment, the AFDC is an excellent place to start. The AFDC is committed to spreading awareness of environmental issues in Lebanon, and it does so through a variety of programs, projects, and campaigns. In 2010 (to name just one example), the group launched project “Oak Honey” to educate school children on the significance of honey and beekeeping. Volunteers are recruited on an ongoing basis and can assist with any number of projects and initiatives.
For more experienced volunteers from the private sector, the leaders of INJAZ Lebanon invite you to join them in their mission to “inspire a culture of entrepreneurialism and business innovation” in Lebanese youth. Launched in 2001 by a group of Lebanese business leaders, IL provides youth ages seven to eighteen with all the skills they need to achieve professional and economic success. This is done through an array of hands-on programs centered on the principles of work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Through their service, volunteers can help educate and inspire the country’s future leaders.