Cana youth Association - جمعية شباب قانا

Who We Are

Cana Youth Association is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit Lebanese organization that has no political or religious affiliation. It was established as a youth initiative in 2016 and was registered at the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities under the number 2512 in 2017. The organization abides by the principles of humanitarian work, and adopts a policy of solidarity, cooperation and democracy to achieve sustainable development. It is headquartered in Qana Al-Jalil village in South Lebanon, and operates within the scope of Southern Lebanon as a whole.  It aims to contribute to addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges the villages and towns of Southern Lebanon are facing, by adopting the United Nations sustainable development goals, and working to achieve them. In order to reach this goal, CYA works to raise awareness, and evaluate and improve the knowledge about sustainable development and social responsibility among local communities, stakeholders and decision-makers through work programs in five sectors: Environmental, Educational, Community Development, Livelihoods, and Humanitarian Aid Sectors.

Vision

Sustainable living for all generations.

Mission

Cana Youth Association aims to support the sustainable development goals, expand knowledge about them, and implement projects that are intended to achieve these goals in the local communities located in the towns of Southern Lebanon through programs that provide a common framework for a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future for all.

Values

• Focusing on improving the lives of people and societies, especially the vulnerable ones.
• Commitment to supporting healthy ecosystems and biodiversity that support the prosperity of societies.
• Guaranteeing utmost possible success of projects with monitoring and evaluating their results.
• Establishing diversified partnerships that lead to better and more flexible results.
• Seeking innovative and daring solutions that make a remarkable impact.
• Believing that all beneficiaries has the right to receive the association’s services without any considerations or discrimination, whatever they are.
• Working with transparency, accountability, and participation and adhering to performance evaluation standards, taking specific measures to prevent mismanagement and promoting continuous development.

General Goals

1. Promote a proper environmental management in the Southern Lebanese villages, urging them to achieve the sustainable development goals.

2. Provide free educational, treatment, and rehabilitation opportunities for the largest possible number of people with special needs.

3. Enable crisis-affected communities to better manage and prevent risks to increase flexibility and self-reliance.

4. Promote social cohesion to achieve sustainable development in local communities.

5. Enable crisis-affected families in rural areas to survive.

Strategic Goals

Environmental Sector:

• Increase green spaces in the villages of Southern Lebanon through establishing more natural reserves and forests, as well as managing natural resources properly, preserving existing forests to limit their degradation, and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
• Develop and implement an integrated solid waste management plan, and eliminate random landfills and dumpsites in the villages of southern Lebanon.
• Raise community awareness about environmental matters that contributes to the protection of the environment, involving the community in the environmental development process.
• Promote the protection of water resources and preserve marine life and biodiversity.

Educational Sector:

• Enhance people with special needs’ integration into society and their full participation in all aspects of life.
• Develop the talents of people with special needs and support their mental, physical, emotional, personal and social capabilities.
• Promote psychological support of women in the local society.

Livelihoods Sector:

• Improve community livelihoods, productive assets and food security.
• Strengthen the capacities of communities and local authorities to respond to public needs, taking into account vulnerable groups and gender-equality.
• Develop domestic tourism in the villages of Tyre district with the aim of enabling rural communities to expand their incomes.

Community Development Sector:

• Involve local youth, from females and males, in social life.
• Support social inclusion of all societal groups that suffer from marginalization.
• Involve civil society in the Developmental decision-making process with the local Authorities.
• Provide a fostering and supportive environment for youth initiatives to achieve the sustainable development goals in local communities.

Humaniterian Aid Sector:

• Provide basic living needs for the deprived families and individuals during emergency situations.
• Respond rapidly to disasters and crises to enhance the ability of affected communities to overcome the bestowed circumstances.

Board Memebers

• President: Hassan Abbass Dakhlallah
• Vice President: Hussein Toufiq Abboud
• Secretary: Zainab Mohammad Hamoud
• Treasurer: Odai Saed Hijazi
• Accountant: Ali Hassan Alameddine

Executed Projects

• [Oct 2019 – Present] Forestation of Zaymout Land-

The plantation of 6000 fruitful trees serves to creat green areas in the town.

• [Dec 2019 – Jan 2020]: Fabric Bags-

2500 fabric bags were donated to local shops in order to help decrease the use of plastic bags.

• [Apr 2019 – Present]: Al-Basma Center-

It is built to provide educational, counseling and diagnosis services for people with special needs (aged 4 till 21).

• [Oct 2018-Jan 2019]: Contributing in forestation of Al-Ramadiyah village (located close to Cana)-

The Plantation of trees serves creating green areas in the village.

• [Oct 2018- Nov 2019]: Forestation of Cana’s Grotto Land-

The plantation of 2,500 fruitful serves creating green areas in the town.

• [Aug 2017 – Dec 2020]: Sorting waste at source (waste management)-

Mainly raising citizen’s awareness about the importance of waste management. So far, 200 houses have stepped in and we’re still counting.

• [2018-2019]: Awareness campaigns

Targeting schools and universities about sorting at source (waste management).

• [2017-Present]: Providing medical assistance

More than 25 families benefit monthly from medical aids (medicines, medical service…)

Programs & Activities

• Christmas Festival
• Al-Fotor’s Day Fair
• Cana Festivals
• Cine Caravan
• Touristic tours
• Supporting local businesses led by women