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 Matar
I 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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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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Manara Center Project Manage, 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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English Teacher, Katia Araji
Katia has been a teacher for 10 years. She first worked at Al-Resala elementary school and subsequently at Al-Daraj high school in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. She has also taught English at Al Huroof school and volunteered with Navtss. In addition to her teaching, she has worked as a translator at the Palestinian newspaper, Topteam. Katia understands what marginalized living is and wants to provide the youth of our program with tools to overcome their circumstances and understanding that English language is vital to their success. |
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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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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. |
Music Teacher, Friedrike Kayser
Friedrike got her musical education at the national conservatoires of Luebeck, Stuttgart and Paris. At home in Germany, she is an orchestra musician, performing opera and symphonic music as a fixed member of the State Theatre Meiningen and dedicates herself to classical music as well as oriental folklore.
She began to explore the concept of community music while teaching in social music projects in Argentina and Paraguay in 2013/2014. While taking time off her orchestra job, she is currently teaching piano and community music at the Manara Center.
Friedrike got her musical education at the national conservatoires of Luebeck, Stuttgart and Paris. At home in Germany, she is an orchestra musician, performing opera and symphonic music as a fixed member of the State Theatre Meiningen and dedicates herself to classical music as well as oriental folklore.
She began to explore the concept of community music while teaching in social music projects in Argentina and Paraguay in 2013/2014. While taking time off her orchestra job, she is currently teaching piano and community music at the Manara Center.
