On August 7, Monday, Wedded Wonderland partnered with Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal to host “Sebheye,” a fundraiser for the St Antoine orphanage located in the Lebanese village of Kfarfou. The ticketed event was a warm breakfast affair held at MISC. Parramatta, a cozy cottage-style restaurant in Parramatta Park, and gathered various guests to raise funds for the essential needs of the orphanage.
Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal founder George Boutros led the morning’s discussion alongside Wedded Wonderland founder and CEO Wendy El-Khoury.
El-Khoury, who is a first-generation Australian born in Lebanon, highlighted the plight of orphaned children in the country, many of whom are supported and educated by the nuns who maintain the orphanages.
“I think it’s so important for us to recognize what’s really happening in Lebanon right now in terms of the hyperinflation. We see Lebanon as a fantastic place to holiday—it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world. We see a lot of the tourism, which is wonderful because it supports the local community,” she said.
She then touched upon the status of children who are not able to flee or migrate out of poverty-stricken situations. “I think the difference between what I have and what they have is just pure luck. We are not any better than anyone. We are not better than the children who live in these orphanages, or the nuns who dedicate their entire lives not only to take care of these kids but to educate them on-site, and to make sure they have some sort of future. It could be any one of us,” she said.
In 2021, in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, El-Khoury reached out to Boutros to close the gap between the 66,000 AUD and the 100,000 AUD he had targeted to raise for essential goods for the beneficiaries. By way of her social media network, the target was hit in a little over a week. Soon after, the Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal had 27 tons of food ready for shipment.
The Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal charity was founded by Boutros in 2020 after the deadly Beirut explosion, which took place on August 4 of that year. The explosion left over 300,000 civilians displaced, including children.
The beneficiary of the Monday event, St Antoine orphanage in Kfarfou, houses 110 children who are abandoned, displaced, and/or suffered abuse. “It is our duty to drive change in this orphanage to give them more dignity,” said Boutros.
As of writing, the organization is still accepting donations for the bulk purchase of essential goods for the orphanage. These supplies include medicines, lentils, rice, pasta, oil, fresh linens, school supplies, and others. The donation details are as follows:
Bank: Westpac
Account name: The Sydney to Lebanon Food Aid
BSB: 032 076
Account number: 547 164
Please note that the Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal is a registered charity.
To receive your Tax Deductible Receipt (TDR) please email: info@sydneytolebanonaidappeal.com.au
For more information, visit the Sydney to Lebanon Aid Appeal website.
