Breaking the Cycle: From Poverty and Despair to Self-sufficiency and Hope
By Seta Pamboukian, JMP Lebanon Country Director
Recently, a young, neatly dressed woman approached the Jinishian Memorial Program (JMP) Lebanon receptionist to ask if she could photocopy a document. Her mother was waiting for her in silence. While photocopying the document the receptionist asked the young woman how she was progressing in her university studies. The conversation attracted the attention of the JMP Lebanon director, who then enquired about this young woman, her family and their relationship with JMP. As the director reviewed the file of this young woman’s family and interviewed some staff members, she discovered a touching success story.
The family has suffered numerous health problems, domestic violence and financial difficulties over a 25 year period. JMP social workers provided counseling to the family members, which included home visits, and periodically gave financial assistance throughout this tumultuous time. There was a point when the family was able to afford food only with the assistance of food coupons from JMP. After many years of stormy ups and downs, the counseling sessions allowed the mother and father to reconcile their marriage, strengthen their family unit and encourage individual responsibility.
Since December 2008, the family has not received any financial assistance from JMP. The three children are grown up; the eldest son who had attended a vocational school is now working at a bank, the daughter is a university student and applying to work in the Internal Security Forces and the youngest brother is in school.
To conclude the success story, JMP recognizes the mother of the family who patiently took care of her family’s health, and nurtured and protected her family and her marriage. It is also thanks to the JMP social workers’ pursuit of social welfare that the mother was both spiritually and financially empowered to endure difficulties and to reach a safe haven without endangering herself or her children. Thanks be to God.
