Connection with Towards Humanity
Wissam Boustany first became involved with this incredible institution when they were selected as one of five charities to benefit from the proceeds of a peace concert for the Middle East that was held at the Royal Albert Hall (London), February 1995. Since that time several benefit concerts have been organised in Lebanon and London, which have raised an estimated $30,000 to date. Wissam Boustany has a particularly close relationship with this school because of his Lebanese origins and because of his deep commitment to working with visually impaired people - on several occasions he has invited blind musicians from the school to participate in his recitals and holds workshops in their school/centre.
If you are interested in supporting this well-established charity please contact Towards Humanity.
Wissam working with the blind in Lebanon
About The Lebanese School for the Blind
FOUNDED in 1953 under the patronage of Lebanon's First Lady, the Lebanese School for the Blind and Deaf is one of Lebanon's oldest and best-known charities. The school's goal is to educate blind and deaf children in such a way as to prepare them for effective participation in the daily life of their communities as independent and contributing members. To this end the Lebanese government donated a large parcel of land for a school in Baabda, a few minutes drive from Beirut. Since its opening in 1957, the school has drawn its students not only from Lebanon, but also from neighbouring countries. The school programme - from pre-school to baccalaureate level - is that of the regular schools, supplemented by special courses. A special programme has been designed for war cases and for those blinded in adulthood.
The school runs a very successful programme in which the students are integrated into schools for the sighted and hearing. In the evening they return to their home school for coaching and support. A mobile teacher follows their progress. A vocational programme provides mobility and adaptability training alongside the teaching of skills such as carpentry to chicken farming.
The fighting that took place throughout the Baabda area during the war damaged the school on several occasions. It was also occupied by armed forces, who looted furniture, educational equipment and heavy machinery for the carpentry and woodwork shop. Braille teaching equipment, which is difficult to replace, was destroyed.
The photograph below shows some of the students with Wissam Boustany. They are listening and touching the instruments with their fingertips.
For more information please contact
Mrs Wadad Lahoud
The Lebanese Society for the Blind and the Deaf
P.O.Box 40021
BAABDA-LEBANON