Phase 1 · 2020–2021
Gholam Cluster
Gouraud Street, Gemmayzeh
A cluster-based approach covering 5 heavily damaged 19th- and 20th-century buildings, home to 7 families, 11 businesses and 54 direct beneficiaries.
One mission. Four pillars.
Our Work
The NGO operates on a voluntary basis to support vulnerable families, preserve heritage buildings, promote long-term access to income and employment, and restore economic activity and urban fabric of neighborhoods.
PILLAR 01
Family Empowerment
Stronger families. Brighter futures.
Provide families across Lebanon with food and basic needs, medical services, housing, education, livelihood support to ensure they build more sustainable lives
Monitor the progress of the families to ensure they build better lives for themselves and to help build a fairer society
Education support
Tuition fee assistance is paid directly to schools, helping children from families facing socio-economic challenges continue their education across Beirut, Mount Lebanon and North Lebanon.
$93,734
Education assistance · scholarships & nurseries
Academic year 2024–2025
70 students · $35,000
21 Beirut29 Mount Lebanon20 North Lebanon
- 2017–201813 students · $4,833
- 2018–201912 students · $3,801
- 2022–202318 students · $4,100
- 2023–202446 students · $20,000
- 2024–202570 students · $35,000
- 2025–202652 students · $26,000 (Dec 2025 – May 2026)
2025–2026 is in progress.
Support for families
- Food and essential needs$106,221
- Healthcare and medication$13,748
- Housing and rent assistance$6,599
- Home rehabilitation and household essentials$6,177
- Social support and legal protection$500
- Subtotal · family support$133,245
Programme detail
Education
$93,734 in education assistance, paid directly to schools as tuition support.
Basic needs, care and legal protection
Ramadan food boxes each year, food boxes and flour, milk and diapers, clothes and toys, hygiene kits, Christmas baskets and medication, winter heaters (Beytech × Offrejoie) and personal-care items (Holdal). Support also includes medical care, housing and rent, repairs, addiction and social support, and legal advice on tenancy, employment and access to assistance.
Single Unit Rehabilitation
Ensuring safe shelter for families affected by the August 4th blast and helping them regain their homes with dignity. A $30,000 programme restored 30 homes for 90 direct beneficiaries: 13 in Bourj Hammoud, 13 in Mar Mikhael and 4 in Ashrafieh.
PILLAR 02
Livelihoods & Business Support
Local businesses. Lasting opportunity.
Strategically support businesses to promote long-term access to income and employment and restore economic activity and urban fabric of neighborhoods
Small local businesses are the backbone of the Lebanese economy, employing thousands of people and nurturing countless families. Our intervention includes rehabilitation of the shops and factories, equipment repair and upgrade, development of profit optimization strategies, uplifting of branding and communication, legal support and capacity development.
118 businesses supported
118
Businesses supported
219
Jobs retained
35
Jobs created
$552,400
Combined programme expenditure
Jobs and expenditure combine Phase 1 (2020–2021: $344,400, 170 jobs retained, 14 created) and Phase 2 (2022–2023: $208,000, 49 retained, 21 created).
We deliberately target diverse businesses, including women-led businesses and shops owned and managed by people with special needs, in our quest for social sustainability.
Phase 1 · Sept 2020–Dec 2021
Recovery support for 109 businesses, an average of ~$3.2K per business.
Spend split
- Rehabilitation$155,924
- Repositioning$149,473
- Grants & other$7,053
- Overhead$28,200
- Fees$3,750
Businesses by sector
- Retail 42%
- F&B 17%
- Creative 16%
- Beauty 12%
- Manufacturing 6%
- Other 7%
Phase 2 · Jan 2022–Jun 2023
Targeted support to 9 SMEs that provide employment (F&B and manufacturing), an average of ~$23.1K per business.
Spend split
- Rehabilitation$63,652
- Repositioning$109,447
- Grants & other$3,214
- Overhead$29,000
- Fees$2,688
How we help businesses
Rehabilitation
Equipment
Business repositioning
Branding & communication
Financial assistance
Operational optimisation
Legal support
Capacity building
A selection of the businesses we have supported
A small sample of the businesses supported through our Phase 1 and Phase 2 livelihood programmes.
Come to Beirut
A House of Christmas guide to local independent businesses in the heart of Beirut.
Programme detail
Recovery and jobs · Phase 1
$344,400 supported 109 businesses, retaining 170 jobs and creating 14 jobs.
Sustainable livelihoods · Phase 2
$208,000 supported 9 businesses, retaining 49 jobs and creating 21 jobs.
Across four neighbourhoods
36 businesses in Gemmayzeh, 31 in Mar Mikhael, 48 in Bourj Hammoud and 3 in Geitawi.
Seven areas of business support
Rehabilitation; optimizing operating models and equipment; improving margins and pricing; increasing client volumes through branding and communication; capacity building and training; legal support, including rental contracts; and grants for overdue rent and employee salaries.
PILLAR 03
Community Engagement
A community that shows up for one another.
Connecting volunteers, partners and local communities through collaboration and our annual Christmas market.
The House of Christmas holds an annual Christmas Market and several different events all over the year to support its projects across all sectors and spread joy and laughter to the community
$293,422 raised through Christmas markets
Programme detail
Beytech × Offrejoie and Holdal
Heaters were delivered to families through the Beytech and Offrejoie collaboration. Holdal provided essential personal-care items.
Alexandra Naggear Partnership
An annual Christmas collaboration in memory of Alexandra Naggear, who lost her life in the Beirut blast, provides meals and gifts to children and families.
Schools and community fundraising
School partners contribute in-kind donations and initiatives. A special screening at Grand Cinemas, ABC Ashrafieh, raised funds for Chris’s care and quality of life as he lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
PILLAR 04
Heritage & Culture Preservation
Protecting the places that connect us.
Restore and protect heritage buildings to preserve the vernacular social and cultural identity of neighborhoods
Restore, preserve and protect heritage buildings in partnership with specialized architects, engineers and legal experts. Help preserve the vernacular social and cultural identity of neighborhoods. Offer legal support to owners and tenants of heritage buildings and protect the tenancy of vulnerable families.
8 heritage buildings restored
The port explosion hit the heart of Beirut’s historical neighbourhoods and damaged landmark heritage buildings dating back to as early as the 1850s, many occupied by tenants and families who had lived in them for decades. With no government support, the fate of this architectural heritage is left to private owners and NGOs.
$800,355
Invested across two phases
8
Heritage buildings restored
168
Direct beneficiaries
Building case studies
Each restoration protected vulnerable tenancies, brought families home and returned everyday life to streets damaged by the August 2020 explosion.
Phase 1 · 2020–2021
RIF Building
Pasteur Street, Gemmayzeh
A 1900s landmark directly opposite the port. It was severely damaged, and the blast claimed the life of one resident.
Phase 1 · 2020–2021
Tamish Building
Armenia Street, Mar Mikhael
Built in the 1920s and home to 8 families and 7 businesses.
Phase 2 · 2022–2023
Saint Nicolas Cluster
Pasteur & Gouraud Streets, Gemmayzeh
Rmeil 400 North Block, Rmeil 400 South Block and Medawar 28, an 1880s building about 600 m from the blast epicentre.
Programme detail
Phase 1 · September 2020–December 2021
$550,355 budget; 5 buildings restored and 138 beneficiaries. Work also included propping up one building, protecting 24 families, supporting 22 microbusinesses and restoring 24 residential units.
Phase 2 · January 2022–June 2023
$250,000 budget; 3 buildings restored for 30 beneficiaries at the Saint Nicolas Cluster: Rmeil 400 North and South blocks and Medawar 28.
Our impact · 2017–2025
Our Impact By The Numbers
4,650
Beneficiaries supported
1,550
Families reached
211
Students supported
118
Businesses supported
8
Heritage buildings restored
$1,646,177
Total funds raised
Together, we make a difference
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Our strong belief in humanity, justice and equal opportunity coupled with our common love for Lebanon, our people and our history drive and define our selfless efforts.