Green Roof: 2022 Microgrant Update
Nestled in the diverse landscape of Lebanon, a country surrounded by Syria, Israel/Palestine, and the Mediterranean Sea, Salam LADC (Lebanese Association for Development and Communication) is making a significant impact in a country with one of the highest number of refugees per capita.
Salam LADC was founded in response to the 2006 Lebanon War and aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between different communities living in Lebanon. They focus on sustainable projects that provide tools and expertise to local communities; youth, emergency response and environmental teams have been trained in municipalities across the country.
In 2022, Salam LADC received a Burners Without Borders grant to address the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon and rising levels of food insecurity. Project Green Roof worked to convert the roof space of their community center into a vegetable garden that will host awareness sessions focused on sustainable small-scale farming methods. The roof is currently maintained by four local volunteers with disabilities, allowing them to benefit from a vocational outlet and provide nutritious vegetables for their families. In the future, the Green Roof will provide nutritious snacks for the 600 students attending classes at the community center with the excess food being distributed to local families in need.
Salam LADC’s impact extends beyond their projects, thanks to their exciting international volunteer program. In 2016, two international volunteers arrived in Lebanon, after having volunteered in Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans with the large-scale movement of refugees into Europe. The practice of international volunteers working within Lebanon was relatively unknown, at the time. A friend introduced them to Salam LADC’s director and the international volunteer program was born. Since then they have hosted over 600 volunteers from more than 30 different countries.
SalamLADC is always looking for volunteers who are open-minded, comfortable working as part of a team, and passionate about helping vulnerable populations. Previous experience in education or working with children, Arabic language skills, and an International Driving Permit is especially useful. If you want to gain field experience and support their projects on the ground, read more here.