- As usual in every year and on the occasion of Mother?¢â‚¬â„¢s Day, Makhzoumi Foundation trainees/Beauty Division at Tripoli Center visited the Social Services Association where they cut hair for a number of the elders, in presence of Miss Samar Khashman, the Head of Tripoli Center, and the Beauty teachers. The Association administration thanked the Makhzoumi Foundation for the humanitarian gesture wishing continuous cooperation. - Makhzoumi Foundation conducted, at its center in Tripoli, a lecture titled ?¢â‚¬?“The Biological Mother or the Raising-up Mother?¢â‚¬A? on 14/03/2009; it was arranged by Miss Sallama Naamani, the Awareness Program Manager, and the Head of Tripoli Center Miss Samar Khashman. The lecture shed light upon an incident that happened by mistake in North Lebanon whereby one baby was exchanged for another; the truth was revealed by chance after 10 years. Miss Khashman introduced the two lecturers, Dr. Fatima Badawi (Treasurer of the Women Committees Union in the North) and Dr. Fatima Khadoura (Lecturer at the Lebanese University); Dr. Badawi talked about the mother?¢â‚¬â„¢s biological and social roles whereby Dr. Khadoura elaborated on several mothers in religions and in ancient history. (Picture)

-Makhzoumi Foundation participated in UNDP's Peace Building Project Follow up Training for the NGOs who participated in Training of Trainers for NGOs on Peace Building and Conflict Prevention Methodologies workshop held last August. The follow up training took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the 19th & 20th of February 2009. The participants were trained on how to write proposals for funding and provided with the skills to incorporate the peace building approach into their methodology. This activity aims to enhance participants?¢â‚¬â„¢ skills to better formulate and present a project proposal for funding as well as incorporating a peace building approach into existing project and activity agendas. Subsequent to the Follow up Training Programme, participants will have the chance to formulate and present a project proposal. One project will be selected for funding on a competitive basis by the Peace Building Project and the trainer.

-Makhzoumi Foundation has conducted the last two workshops of its Project, Awareness on the Importance of Solar Energy Application, funded by the Netherland Embassy and implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Lebanon and the Greek NGO SENSE, in Meridian-Commodore Hotel on the 30th and 31st of January 2009. Science teachers of 6th grade class from public and private schools throughout Lebanon attended these workshops. These workshops included theoretical and practical information on renewable energy with emphasis on the solar energy. The participants received an educational kit to be used in scientific experiments on solar energy in front of the students at their schools. In addition, Best Poster Contest on solar energy application was announced for the students of the schools that participated in this project whereby awards will be distributed to the first five winners at the end of the project in June 2009.

-Makhzoumi Foundation launched its Project, Awareness on the Importance of Solar Energy Application, by conducting the 1st and 2nd workshops in UNESCO Palace on the 19th and 20th of December 2008. 71 science teachers of 6th grade from public and private schools throughout Lebanon attended these workshops. These workshops included theoretical and practical information on renewable energy with emphasis on the solar energy; lectures were given by the two specialists, Eng. Hassan Jaber and Dr. Nicolas Afstathiadis. The participants received an educational kit to be used in scientific experiments on solar energy in front of the students at their schools. It is worth mentioning that this project is funded by the Netherland Embassy and implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Lebanon and the Greek NGO, SENSE.

- Within the framework of following-up on the actions of the Arab Fund Forum (AFF), the temporary executive committee held its first meeting in Jordan/Amman on 6/11/2008, in presence of the three members: Dr. Atallah Kattab (Al-Taawoun Foundation-Jordan), Mr. Homam Zar (Mohammad Bin Abd Al-Aziz Foundation-Kingdom of Suadi Arabia), and Mrs. Sallama Naamani (Makhzoumi Foundation). Several issues were raised in this meeting some of which are: the understanding memo between Al-Taawoun Foundation (the host foundation) and the Forum, logistics and administrative issues, extension of the hosting period for another 3 years and the expansion of the Forum's membership to include new foundations, in addition to the issue of fundraising and the preparation for the next meeting to be held in Abu Dabi in February 2009.

- Makhzoumi Foundation/Awareness Program conducted a crafts workshop on "Chocolate Molding and Decoration" at Mazraa Center on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of November 2008. In response to the ladies' requests, a second workshop on "Decoration of Trays and Baskets" was conducted on the 11th, 12th, and 13th. These two workshops come under the scope of the periodic crafts workshops that the Makhzoumi Foundation Awareness program carries out to empower women through providing them with different skills that enhance their productive capabilities.

Seminars are held regularly at the civic centers, schools and villages, covering various topics related to the following fields: Education, Health, Prevention, Psychology and the Environment. Discussions are held at the end of every seminar whereby Flyers (that include tips and hints) are frequently distributed to attendees.

Different flyers are also distributed during several other occasions including various subjects such as: Pesticide Handling, Hazards of Smoking, How to Quit Smoking, Study Skills, Tips and Hints for the Kitchen.