On July 5th, I traveled to the beautiful Marjayoun valley, in southern Lebanon, to attend the inauguration of the Fadai Center, which brought together donors, religious and political authorities, staff, and members of the community.

AVSI has been working in Marjayoun and its neighboring towns since the beginning of the Syrian war, which forced over a million Syrian refugees to seek refuge there in Informal Tent Settlements. From the very first year, in an attempt to create a glimpse of hope for the most vulnerable, AVSI staff envisioned building a Community Center which would allow for an escape from the dark reality that many Syrian refugees were facing, and still are to this day. Today, the Fadai Community Center, found in the village of Bourj El Moulok, in the heart of Marjayoun, has thus far been indeed an escape for 100,000 people in need.