By Taline Ladayan, Lebanon—
When we hear “Jinishian,” we think of 45 years of compassion, partnership and networking in service to our communities, helping others, guiding them toward self-sufficiency and, most importantly, sharing whatever we have with others in need.
One of our local governmental organizations with whom we have worked closely for many years, the Bourj Hammoud Office of Social Development, recently invited two of our participants to share the experience and knowledge they gained in a Community Development Vocational Training course, “Flower Arrangement, Soap and Candle Making,” sponsored by the Jinishian Memorial Program in Lebanon. Ms. Arsho and Ms. Lila accepted the invitation. For the first time in their lives, Arsho and Lila went to an organization and spoke in front of a group of 20 women attending a training session designed to eliminate illiteracy. They shared ideas about creating opportunities through acquiring skills.
The two facilitators, Arsho and Lila, moved from being “beneficiaries” to “donors,” as they donated their time and knowledge in service to others. The activity was enriching and empowering for both the participants as well as the facilitators. At the end of the session the two speakers earned applause and praise from the participants, who were eager to learn more.
“This was worth thousands of dollars” Lila said, adding “Next time we can do better.”
