Who We Are

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, responding to the acute needs of both the displaced and their host communities. We’re proud to be founded by refugees, for refugees. It is what sets our work and us apart, and gives us a deeper understanding of the community we serve. As part of the community, we understand its unique, ever-evolving, needs and challenges. We are also positioned close enough to respond swiftly when new challenges arise. Our interventions are co-designed alongside participants and adapted with their input and the trust and credibility we have built over eleven years gives us access few others have.