Beirut, June 22, 2016: Banque Misr Liban (BML), in cooperation with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), hosted an Iftar especially dedicated to Syrian refugee children working on the streets of Beirut. This pioneering and unconventional CSR route is deeply engraved within BML’s culture, which thrives on the development of society. Working towards it, goes as far as developing the bank’s stakeholders as care givers and socially responsible human beings.
BML has made it a duty to acknowledge them by catering an iftar specifically for 50 children and their parents. This iftar was an exceptional occurrence, not because it presented these children with food and other basic needs, but because it allowed them an opportunity to reclaim what is rightfully theirs; a proper childhood and some bonding time with their parents.
While commenting on the Iftar, the Executive General Manager of BML Mr. FadiDaouk said, “At BML we believe that we have a social obligation towards children and youth in the Lebanese society. In order to be an active member of the community which we serve, we must take full responsibility of making a difference in people’s lives, no matter how minor that difference might be. Ramadan is such a special time of year, and we are delighted to draw a smile on these children’s faces. Their patience and positivity continues to humble us every day. This gathering is something we hope to do more often.”
All of it was made possible through the hard work of the volunteers from both BML and IRC, who poured their hearts out to make the evening a special one for the children. The Iftar dinner was a true celebration of Ramadan, a holy month that drives us to give selflessly and appreciate even the simplest of life’s blessings. By the end of the evening, balloons were distributed to the children who were also given toys and clothes.
Each month the IRC’s Street and Working Children program helps around 150 children take part in fun activities across Beirut, to give them some semblance of a normal childhood and help them recover from the trauma and stress they face in their daily life, as well helping them develop their emotional and creative skills. The IRC has also helped more than 120 street working children get back in school.