The Child Welfare Society in Latakia

It gives this magazine pleasure to remain a mirror reflecting the achievements of woman in Lebanon and in the other sister countries. So it lays before its readers a singular effort being made by a worthy elite of the young women of Latakia — this first cluster of the blossoms of the higher schools, who have left the benches of study and gone straight to the great social work; who dream of having, in the work of building up the country, a share that is their right, and society's right over them.

It was established in Latakia in 1945 to protect the child, and it has worked to raise his standard of health and character and struggled to fight poverty, disease, and ignorance. This association was founded at the hands of generous ladies who gave their utmost effort to realize their idea, whatever obstacles and difficulties confronted them. The association rented a center for the distribution of milk after its sterilization at the hands of its working members and under the supervision of two nurses engaged for this purpose. The milk is distributed daily in two servings during the summer days, so that the child will not take it spoiled.

This is a part of what is done by this association, which works in silence, giving the utmost it can in the service of society. It is not content to give the child his food, but examines him from time to time, and likewise concerns itself with his mother, so as to be assured of his health and of hers. The health department has contributed along this path, helping the association to establish a dispensary for examining sick children and treating them.

The number of children obtaining their daily food has reached nearly four hundred children from the opening of this association to this day of ours.

The association strives to fight ignorance and uncleanliness among illiterate girls and ignorant, heedless mothers. Its members therefore mingle with these children and families, drawing close to their hearts in order to refine their ways, and they try to lighten the weight of the environment in which they live by lectures suited to the level of their thinking. Nor is the association content with that; it extends to them a helping hand with what food and clothing it can. But its resources are still small, insufficient for the widening of its broad program and its noble aims.

Then a group of educated young women thought of opening a special guidance branch for the poor girls deprived of schooling, whether by material or by family circumstances. This group of young women, for want of money and of a special place for this project, asked the Child Welfare Society to adopt the idea and realize it as a branch of the association, seeing that its aim is to fight illiteracy among children — this by opening a class or a school taking in a number of little girls whose ill fortune has willed that they be deprived of learning and its fruits.

The idea came into being last year, on February 15, 1951, and behold, fifteen girls were receiving the elements of reading, writing, and arithmetic on the school benches, at the hands of a group of our young women who have consecrated their free hours to teaching these unfortunate girls; they come regularly to the teaching center and follow the modern, rapid methods of instruction, so that those advanced in years may be able to learn quickly.

This is a new step that demands effort and time, and at the same time it needs the support of government and people together.

In these lines I have given a brief glimpse of the Child Welfare Society and its principles in Latakia. There is no doubt that every reader is bound to the child by a sacred bond — being a mother, or a father, or a kinsman, or one tender toward the child, this innocent creature in whose soul evil has not yet been born, who does not know the meaning of malice or envy. He needs care and mercy, and he asks for life so that he may do his duty as an individual, or as a human being useful to his nation and his country. Otherwise... he will be a corrupt element, avenging himself on the nature that was cruel to him and seeing it embodied in his brother human beings, who denied him the blessing of life.

Hind Haroun
Member for Publications and Publicity

The Woman's Voice: As for those carrying out this mighty work, they are the Misses: Haroun, Hakim, Mamish Azhari, Damlouj, Hafez, Houriyya, Dimashqiyah, Kayyal, Shouman, and others among the volunteers.