Basmeh & Zeitooneh

Launched in 2012, Basmeh & Zeitooneh aims to support the most marginalised Syrian refugees by identifying and filling the gaps left by other aid agencies. Its work focusses on the most-poorly served parts of Lebanon, including Arsal, the Bekaa Valley, Tripoli and Palestinian refugee camps, but it also has projects in Kurdistan and Turkey. Programmes include emergency relief, peace building and social cohesion, women's empowerment, education support, media training and civil social enablement.

Related sustainable development goals

  • No Poverty
  • Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Focus areas

Focus sectors

  • Agriculture
    • Food security
    • Farming
  • Development
    • Economic development
      • Community improvement
        • Housing rehabilitation
      • Business and industry
        • Social enterprise
        • Entrepreneurship
    • Sustainable development
  • Education
    • Early childhood education
    • Vocational education
    • Elementary and secondary education
      • Child educational development
      • Elementary education
  • Human rights
  • Humanitarian
    • Youth development
      • Youth services
      • Civics for youth
    • Special population support
    • Food aid

Focus populations

  • Immigrants and migrants
  • Internally displaced people
  • Low-income people
  • Refugees and displaced people
  • Undocumented immigrants
  • Victims of conflict and war
  • Victims of disaster
  • Young adults

Focus geographies

  • Middle East
    • Iraqi Kurdistan
    • Turkey
    • Lebanon
    • Syria

Programmes

  • Advocacy and research
    B&Z teams are working to translate their local knowledge into concrete advocacy requests for policymakers, governments, donors, and other stakeholders. The aim is to support the support and amplify the voice of people in Lebanon, Kurdistan, and Turkey who are negatively affected by the Syrian crisis and enhance donor awareness about displacement needs.
  • Civil society enablement
    Working with grassroots and community-based organizations to build local capacity and strength programme design and execution.
  • Education
    Helping displaced Syrians continue with their education, working online and face-to-face. Programmes include literacy, numeracy, and learning support. There is also a psychosocial support team to help vulnerable students and promote early years childhood development.
  • Food security and livelihoods
    This programme aims to stabilise livelihoods for the most crisis-affected groups and support local economic recovery with access to employment and promotion of SMEs through training and incubation initiatives. B&Z all has a cash for work scheme involving a hydroponic farming pilot in Tripoli, combining livelihood support with climate action. SMEs affected by the 2020 Beirut blast have also received support from B&Z.
  • Peace building and social cohesion
    B&Z has established a "peace education curriculum" focussed on resolving conflict, promoting tolerance, and encouraging acceptance along national, religious, and political lines. This programme is aimed at children and their parents and aims to build cohesion within conflict-affected groups.
  • Protection
    This programme aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable women and children, and support the wider community of boys and caregivers, though community-based response models. Activities include; awareness raising around gender-based violence; parenting workshops; legal support; counselling; case management and referral.

Financials

Funding model

  • Grants to Individuals
  • Grants to organisations
  • Programme related investment

Primary funders

  • CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development)
  • Caritas Canada
  • Christian Aid
  • Concern Worldwide
  • Game
  • Impact Lebanon
  • International Labour Organisation (ILO)
  • Malala Fund
  • Norwegian People's Aid
  • Peery Foundation
  • Refugee Protection International
  • Roy and Patricia Disney Foundation
  • Shih Wing Ching Foundation
  • The Asfari Foundation
  • The Big Heart Foundation
  • The Luminos Fund
  • The Rotary Foundation
  • The Zovighian Partnership
  • Trocaire

Operations

Key staff

  • co-founder and CEO, Fadi Hallisso

Contact details