Jisr el Bacha – 1997

History

At the end of the civil war, upon the many requests from young ladies who wanted to be reintegrated into society through work at arcenciel, the organization decided to open a new center. After having considered the different possibilities of available structures, in 1992, the choice made was on a two story house situated on a 496m² plot of land in Jisr el Bacha. The building was immediately inhabitable, and a workshop for young ladies was established, where they were taught pastry baking. 20 or so young ladies would prepare cakes, sorbets, maamouls, and lovely Christmas cakes which would be sold by volunteers. Two more workshop openings were to follow: carpet repair and porcelain painting.

Key dates

1997: the young ladies’ workshop moves to the new center in Jisr el Wati. A decision is taken to demolish the 2 story house in Jisr el Bacha and replace it with a building several stories high.

1999: arcenciel is granted a demolition permit and starts demolition. 

2000: the construction permit is granted and arcenciel decides to open a training center. The new building is five stories high (1,101 m²) and has two floors underground (614 m²), along with a parking lot for 10 cars.

2001: opening of a training center on the first floor of the new center and the installation of part of the administration on the second floor. A cafeteria opens, located on the fifth floor along with a conference room on the 1st floor.

2002: establishment of a social store to provide underprivileged people in the region with used clothes and shoes, toys, lingerie, bags and books, etc..

Facilities and Activities

Since 1997, the center houses the arcenciel headquarters along with:

• a social store on the 2^nd basement level
• a market for the Wataneh cooperation on the 1st basement level
• a conference room on the 1st floor, along with the sister NGO Jean Goguigian, and the general administration
• departments of accounting, IT and human resources on the 2^nd floor
• department of information & communication, sister NGO himaya and the agriculture program located on the 3rd floor
• the environmental program, the department for External Relations and Fundraising, arcenciel France, the NGO Aida and the Philippe Jabre Association on the 4th floor
• a meeting room and cafeteria on the 5th floor

Social Store

The social store of the arcenciel center at Jisr el Bacha is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 08:00 to 13:00. This structure of solidarity ensures the redistribution of donations from caring families and individuals. Mainly donations of clothing, shoes, lingerie, bags, toys and books from people who no longer need their possessions and would rather donate them than throw them away.

The beneficiaries generally know about the social store’s presence through word of mouth, but it also happens that organizations may recommend that those in need benefit from the opportunity offered by the donors who act through arcenciel.