Founders

Mouvement Social (MS), as it is known, was founded by Greek Catholic archbishop Grégoire Haddad. But the first officially registered founding board of MS, back in 1960, did not include his name. Instead, it was composed of six personalities:
Hanifeh Sabra, Leila Najjar, Leila Ghantous, Jean Mrad, Robert Stambouli, Tarek Chouman.
These personalities have been selected so as to represent gender equity, and to be from the six most important religious communities in Lebanon (three Christians and three Muslims). But they were not, neither officially nor unofficially, representative of the civil or religious authorities of their respective communities.
That was anyway the only religious-based aspect of Mouvement Social which, according to its by-laws and later on to its activities, has no religious facet whatsoever. And in order to confirm this secular aspect, Grégoire Haddad chose not to be among the official founders, due to his ecclesiastic position as archbishop. He was only, officially, a ‘consultant’ to the association.
Nevertheless, Mouvement Social name was linked since the beginning and for more than three decades before his retirement to Grégoire Haddad’s name. He was the founder, the inspiration, the engine, the manager, and the spirit for the association and for generations of volunteers that helped achieve MS goals. Even upon his retirement and after he passed away (in 2015), he kept inspiring MS officials, staff and volunteers.
In various periods of his much busy life, Grégoire Haddad (he always refused to bear a title) has also been behind - or part of - many initiatives, besides Mouvement Social, among which:

• “Association du Foyer de l’Enfant Libanais” (AFEL) that takes in charge vulnerable children at risk of delinquency till their majority;
• “Village SOS”: another organization (emulating a French model) that also takes in charge orphans or abandoned children, but within family-like structures;
• “L’artisan du Liban”, a limited liability company that aims at marketing artifacts of Lebanese artisans internally and abroad through a fair trade operation;
• “Habitat Development Organization” that built at some point dwellings for families with limited revenues;

Generations of volunteers and professional social workers have contributed to translate these values into daily actions. Volunteering, in particular, has always been a core element in MS’ philosophy. That’s because we believe that citizens have to take in charge their own development, the development of their community and that of the whole country. But, according to the founder Grégoire Haddad, all these human actors have to avoid some risks and pitfalls:

• The objective of social work is about needy people; it should not become a way for the social worker to please themselves, or gain reputation, or just to have a good conscience.
• We should never discriminate among people on any ground, even in periods of war or social tension.
• Never forget that relief work, even in emergency cases, should seek in fine sustainable development for a more human society.
• Never feel that the people that we are helping are indebted to us in any way.
• Avoid working within closed organizations based on religious affiliations or political parties, as the objective of their actions is to gain prestige and social recognition for themselves.
• Another risk is linked to emergency aid coming from foreign countries that seek eventually to gain acknowledgement and gratitude. Dealing with this kind of aid is not banned, provided it serves the development of needy people, and not the interests of the donors.
• Lack of coordination among several NGOs working in the same field provokes inefficiency and a lot of waste. And whenever coordination actually exists, it is often hindered by the ego of some contributors.
• Another risk is that we would end up, as a country and a society, addicted to foreign aid, so as to become professional mendicants.

• “Association d’Entraide Professionnelle” that offers, till today, microcredits to small producers, merchants, and service providers.
• “Oasis de l’Espérance”, an organization that followed the French Abbé Pierre internal and international action by giving homeless and jobless individuals the opportunity to work and live decently through restoring and selling old furniture offered by people;
• “IRAP”, an association that takes in charge the education and integration of deaf-mute children;
• “Aley Caza Development Association” that took action during the war to assure basic services to the population (as he was at that time residing in his old family house at Ain-El-Remmaneh, Aley Caza);

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