Alawite Islamic Charity Association

The Alawite Islamic Charity Association (AICA), a non-profit non-governmental organization located mainly in Jabal Mohsen - Tripoli and Akkar, registered under the decree No. 4500/1950 , was founded in 1950 in order to claim the rights of communities through development and social projects as well as Health care and medical services. Its projects and activities aim to mitigate all forms of discrimination towards civil Rights access (food security, health, education, work opportunities, or any other additional required support), raise individual and collective awareness, mainstream protection and disseminate risks prevention. The intervention strategy consists on holistic and sustainable comm... read more The Alawite Islamic Charity Association (AICA), a non-profit non-governmental organization located mainly in Jabal Mohsen - Tripoli and Akkar, registered under the decree No. 4500/1950 , was founded in 1950 in order to claim the rights of communities through development and social projects as well as Health care and medical services. Its projects and activities aim to mitigate all forms of discrimination towards civil Rights access (food security, health, education, work opportunities, or any other additional required support), raise individual and collective awareness, mainstream protection and disseminate risks prevention. The intervention strategy consists on holistic and sustainable community development, Advocacy and Peace Building, education and training, primary health care and medical services, religious services. Since 1950, AICA has created several institutions in order to ensure specific programs/activities responding to the Alawite community and individuals' needs, such as: Alzahraa Medical Center (AMC) House of Wisdom Community Kitchen (HOWCK) The Social Services Community Center (SSCC) Al Douha Scientific School (ADSS) Mosque of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (AS) Mosque of Lady Fatima Alzahra (AS) VISION AICA ensures equity and access to Human Rights for vulnerable individuals and communities with facing any kind of discrimination, as for the Alawite Islamic Communities. AICA intends encouraging community development, through access to Rights/education, health, protection and economic empowerment from apart, and from another part, facilitating Psycho-social Support and Peace-building through Sport, art and different community initiatives. MISSION In reference to values and principles of Imam Ali (AS), AICA develops a humanitarian emergency response action, development and benevolence, targeting the whole community through adopting an integrated global ecosystem approach based on Rights (health care services, social awareness, cultural and educational services via its PHCC, school, PSS centers, HOWCK "Beit EL Hekme" and all its Alawite religious institutions), based on needs of vulnerable communities. MAIN GOAL AICA intends leading a global networking through faith in potentials, reinforcing positive social values, resources management, creating opportunities, strategic partnerships and community development. VALUES Based mainly on Imam Ali (AS) values, then with referring to Human Rights Declaration Charter and Social Work basis, AICA chose basic values related to Development in general, and specifically for its intervention, such as: Collaboration Giving Humanity Human Dignity Social Justice Partnership Sustainability Identity Peaceful Life Values COMPONENTS OF ACTION Alzahraa Medical Center (AMC) (PHCC) ensures that a number of doctors, provide health care services and a safe workspace, with effective and proper performance and quality, equally to all beneficiaries (neither based on racism, nationality, religion, gender or age). House of Wisdom Community Kitchen (HOWCK) provides hot meals with subsidized prices to a large number of beneficiaries where, all kinds of activities whether awareness sessions, general culture, vocational rehabilitation and/or psychosocial support are conducted by AICA employees or within the collaboration a number of local and international organizations. o Community Development: Community projects/ Livelihood and socioeconomic empowerment (especially the women empowerment project for cooking and preparing the substance "Beit ElMouneh", with acknowledge the remarkable initiative of Baskets of Peace's Substance) as well as encouraging several community led projects/initiatives o Protection/ Education / Training: Qualitative Education (School in Akkar), Training for youth and Capacity Building of groups, communities and professionals. o Peace-building/ PSS through Support groups' discussions /Sport/ Arts/ Skills/ Workshops WHO WE ARE? A group of professionals and volunteers who aim community development and access to rights (Education/Health/Protection/Employment opportunities/Food/Personal skills' development ) with no discrimination, awareness and advocacy through awareness sessions and peace-building, support through encouraging youth led initiatives, and Psycho-Social Support through Arts, Sport as well as Productive workshops. WHY DO WE EXIST? We believe in human values and positive youth potential and we consider AICA exists to ensure a better access to basic Individuals' Rights and to assist vulnerable communities to rise-up facing their fact, believing in their potentials and values in order to think and make the necessary change into their lives. AICA calls for a social cohesion within respecting other's difference, a good communication and partnership to make Change through actions. WHAT WE DO? We provide community-based development program through education, Training, economic empowerment, women and youth's led based on Rights and acceptance of the different others in order to re-build peace and tie positive relations. We engage and empower vulnerable categories of community through combined projects to become programs such as Primary Health care; education; Protection; PSS via group discussions, arts and sports, Peace-building via livelihood training and workshops as well community led/initiatives, etc WHERE? We exist in Lebanon, since 1950, in Tripoli and Akkar.