“The Fratelli Project was created in 2015 as a response to the refugee crisis triggered by the ongoing war in Syria. Lebanon is home to almost 2 million Syrian refugees and has the highest refugee to citizen ratio in the world. The Marist and Lasallian Brothers wanted to jointly respond to this crisis and created the Fratelli Project, a socio-educational center that serves refugee Syrian children, youth, and their families alongside Lebanese, Palestinian, and Iraqi families in need both here in Rmeileh and in Bourj Hammoud, a district in Beirut.

During my time as a volunteer, I had the opportunity to “wear many hats” here at Fratelli, some of which included: teaching English, tutoring students for IELTS exams to gain re-location visas, grant writing, assisting in managing the finances of Fratelli, supervising the educational teaching teams and offering support, home visits, transportation assistance, and more! As a Lasallian Volunteer, I genuinely believe that my biggest responsibility here is to help foster a sense of community and to build relationships with Fratelli’s students, their families, and the greater community. And this plays out in the interpersonal moments I shared walking a student home, playing with a child, and being invited into a home and ultimately a family’s life.

As an American, this experience has really opened my eyes to realities the Middle East is facing, and how quickly American foreign policy plays out in real-time here.

As an American, this experience has really opened my eyes to realities the Middle East is facing, and how quickly American foreign policy plays out in real-time here.

My experience in Lebanese has transformed my perspective of this country and the entire region as a whole. There is not a part of me that has remained untouched. A mouth that can speak new dialects and languages (Lebanese and Syrian Arabic, Spanish, and French). Eyes that have seen shelters, political protest, generosity, and Lebanese pride. A nose that will always remember the smell of the Syrian farmers burning fields to increase crop rotation with smoke rising against a bright pink sunset and endless wafts of afternoon cigarettes and argile smoked by the men outside their homes. Ears that are still ringing of the delightful shrieks of “FRATELLIIIIIIII” as we would drive or walk by our student’s homes. And of course, my heart that has been touched by the overwhelming sense of family and familiarity the Lebanese and Syrians have shown to me

Embrace every minute of your experience! Being a volunteer is less about what you do and more about how you do it and your presence in an environment. Embrace every opportunity to create relationships with those you serve. Take the time to visit families, take walks around where you live, and push yourself out of your comfort zone, I promise you will not be disappointed.”

Emily Redfern