About Us
Basmeh & Zeitooneh started as a grassroots organization in 2012 when a group of volunteers in Lebanon—driven by the plight of Syrian refugees—began a small relief operation. Today, Basmeh & Zeitooneh has grown into one of the largest and most established refugee-led relief organizations in the world, responding to the acute needs of both the displaced and their host communities.
What We Do
Our journey began in 2012, when five volunteers started working to serve Syrian refugees residing in Shatila camp in Beirut. The main goal of these visits was to assess the needs and to fill the gaps left by other aid agencies. This effort has since developed into the establishment of an NGO that runs six community centers in Lebanon and two in Turkey.
Impact Numbers
Total Cash for Work participants
2019 - 2024
Total Number of Students
since 2015
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Supported
since 2018
Small & Medium Enterprises Supported (SMEs)
2018 - 2024
Legal Protection Services
People Reached
Households & Individuals Reached
EmergencySupport
Latest News and Events
Proud Milestone for Basmeh & Zeitooneh
We were honored at the IFDO with a prestigious award in December 2025, for our submitted project "My Career My
Safe Spaces in Shatila Restoring Confidence for Women
Protection sessions continue at Basmeh & Zeitooneh’s Shatila center, where mothers
Empowering Young Married Women to Deal with Stress
At Basmeh & Zeitooneh's Center in Shatila Camp, the Protection
Social Initiatives Platform: Voluntary and Organized Return of Syrian Families from Lebanon
Bekaa - Lebanon, October 20, 2025 As
Patience is the Key: A Mother’s Will
Noor* began her story with a heavy voice. She shared it, holding
