Who we are
LPI Corp is a non-profit organization dedicated to directing funds from private donors and corporate sponsors to coordinate efforts in creating long-term solutions for vulnerable Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian youth living in the Bekaa Valley Lebanon.
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Founder, Elias MatarI had been following the Syrian refugee crisis since March 2011. At first, I was observing the situation from afar. Then I started running and posting my miles on social media to bring attention to the plight of the refugees. But I felt a strong calling to do more. In August of 2015, I decided to a book plane ticket without a clear idea of what I would be doing. And so my journey began.
On my first night in Sid, Serbia, more than 2,000 refugees walked through a cornfield where I, along with a group of other volunteers, had set up a station offering food and water. I spent weeks traveling between Greece and Germany. I did what I could to help the refugees along the way. I listened to their stories, cried with them, gave them whatever information I had about border openings, bus and train routes and where to avoid minefields. When the refugees discovered that I spoke Arabic with a Syrian accent they felt a connection to me and shared the stories of their journeys, the loss of loved ones, and their hope against all odds for a better future. It was here that I learned of refugees crossing the Aegean Sea along with the horrific stories that accompanied them. I knew that I needed to meet this beast of a sea in order to complete my journey. So in December 2015, I boarded a plane and headed back, this time to Greece and Turkey. I spent December and January on the island of Chios, Greece, working with international volunteers at the CHIOS EASTERN SHORE RESCUE TEAM. Our mission was to distribute food, water, blankets and relief kits to the refugees as they landed on the island, and to ultimately prepare them for the next leg of their journey. In June of 2016, I traveled to Lebanon to join a local NGO. We helped purchase and distribute food to the refugees in the informal settlements and worked in conjunctions with UNHCR and Teachers Without Borders to educate children while we were there as well as set up long-term education solutions. We also assisted in covering basic living needs for new arrivals and in paying medical bills for refugees uncovered by UNHCR. The Bekaa Valley has had a massive impact on me. It’s been very hard to go back to my “normal life” and not think of these children. The world has turned its’ back on these people in their time of need, in what is one of the largest humanitarian catastrophes of our time. Although we were only 24 volunteers, in the end, we delivered more than 17 tons of food. But still, this is only a teardrop in an ocean of need. My experience in the Bekaa Valley, living among the refugees, is the reason I have formed LPI Corp. |
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Manara Center Director Of Operations Lebanon, Nadia Rdeini
Nadia graduated from the Lebanese International University science department with a BioMedical degree, in addition to studying English literature for three years at the Lebanese University. Nadia worked first as an assistant at a local medical lab. Then subsequently, as an assistant project manager at the National Association for Vocational Training and Social Services, funded by the Spanish NGO Cives Mundrior, prior to her being promoted to as center coordinator and project manager. Nadia also spent several month managing Salam LADC Community Center in Saad Nayel. She is currently the Manara Center’s field coordinator and project manager. |
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US Office Outreach and Media
Manager, Nur Seirafi Nur obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Humboldt State University in 2017. She was heavily involved on campus as a student advocate. Nur’s interests in identity politics and immigration issues led her to work as a case manager with a local non-profit organization serving majority refugee and asylum-seeking populations with integration during the resettlement process. She is currently based in the US and severs as our outreach and media manager, handling social media and connecting with groups interested in supporting LPI Corp's mission. |
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Social Worker, Nour khaled Rdeini
Nour is a patient service specialist senior officer at the Bar Elias Bekaa center. She is the current social worker in charge of case management, supervised by the center’s psychologist. She has extensive certification and training, including WCH DEALs structured methodologies and other PSS activities, PFA, safe identification and referral, yoga treatment, leadership training, and CMR. She has been the teacher of CBPSS, and has worked with the project for five years. She received her B.A. in sociology study from the Lebanese University. She is the Manara Center’s resident social worker. |
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Manara Center Media and Logistics, Rami Aoudeh
Rami, originally from Daraa, Syria resettled in Lebanon when he was 13 Rami has a passion for telling stories through filmmaking and photography. He holds membership in our Young Syrian Filmmakers team which was established at the Manara Center. Due to his attention to detail and leadership qualities, Rami is our media and logistics lead on site at the Manara Center working directly with our Program Manager to ensure all programs are running smoothly and and students are taken care of. You will always see him with a camera in hand. |
Theater Teacher, Ahmad El-Dalati
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Interior Design Teacher, Bertha Touma
Bertha always had interest in designing and drawing. She pursued an education in interior design at American Universal College, obtaining a BT1, BT2 and BT3 degrees and later majored in Interior Design at LIU. During her education, Bertha realized that she was fond of helping others, she volunteered in the community service program for 4 months. Through this program Bertha helped other vulnerable children by using her talents and skills to draw a smile on their faces. After graduation, Bertha worked as a freelance designer, an art and design teacher at Trisquel youth center, she also teach architecture at american universal college. Bertha is the interior design teacher at the Manara center now. |
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Music Teacher, Yazan Jomar
Due to his unique ability to connect to students of all ages and backgrounds, Yazan sbegan teaching music four years ago. Yazan, originally from Syria is a pianist and oud player who studied music with international professors in his home country. Yazan regularly mentions how music is ingrained in his heart and soul as it is his life's ambition. Yazan believes by teaching he can create a space for students to recognize and build on their talent for the world to see. You can find Yazan teaching music with various organizations and age groups across the Bekaa Valley. He currently serves as our music teacher at the Manara Center and oversees 30 students. |
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Board Director, Bertie Lumsden
Currently in his final year of a MA in International Relations at the University of St. Andrews, Bertie has spent over 18 months working full-time on a variety of volunteer projects across the world. This has taken him from education programs at new grassroots school in India, to post-disaster rebuild in the Philippines and disaster response work following flash-flooding in Kentucky. More recently spending January of 2016 making tea and soup for arriving refugees on the beaches of Lesvos where he met Martin Kvernebekk and was introduced to Salam LADC. Since then Bertie has been involved with extensive fundraising both through personal efforts such as a sponsored solo-cycle from San Francisco and Portland, as well as raising money through University events which has been used to establish the first community center in partnership with Salam LADC last summer, and support the pilot program and early stages of the Manara center. |
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