Playground for Syrian Refugees

This Holiday season, in the spirit of giving, we wish to give to Borderless, located in Beirut, Lebanon, a non-profit organization that has been supporting Syrian Refugee children through the war. They aim to eradicate the exploitation of children, youths, and women, while equipping them with the means to build a brighter future. They provide education, food/water, clothes, and most importantly, a safe space that allows children to play together as normal children. 

By supporting the construction of a new playground, you can help preserve their right to youth and security by offering them a space of self-expression and love. The playground will provide immeasurable happiness for many generations of school children. Your donations will help provide new paving, painting, and playground structures for the community to enjoy.

Additionally, the initiative will help integrate the two worlds and normalize the refugee children in their damaged society. The playground will be open to  the community for all children, of all cultures and religions, to encourage unity and acceptance of all people. 
 
Currently, the playground is dilapidated, does not foster an environment conducive for children to play  safely and have fun. We play on paving it, painting it, and structuring it in a way that allows children to engage in different games and sports. 

If you would like to meet the children of Borderless, please click the below link: 
https://youtu.be/3UrJIrlQM14  

How YOU Can Help

So here's how you can help. Consider donating to the above cause, visit www.borderlessngo.org  to learn more about Borderless and if you want to help a child achieve his dream, donate whatever you can. Everyone is welcomed to visit the kids once they are back to school and for those of you who generously donate, the Borderless family will send them a token of appreciation.

In the spirit of transparency, we invite you to check how this platform works and the associated fees. Platform and payment processing fees of 7.9% plus $0.30 per donation: https://www.gofundme.com/pricing 

For direct or non-cash contributions or anything that will support this community in need, please contact the NGO directly ([email redacted]) and deliver your support directly into the hands of the kids that needed most.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you believe in the cause as I do and would like to do something but do not have the funds - there are still many ways you can help... 

Raise awareness! 

- Please share this page with your friends, family, colleagues and contacts. If you can't contribute, maybe they can?

- Share our story on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, all your favorite social media sites.

- Join the Borderless NGO on Facebook and Instagram keep an eye out for future events

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/borderlessngo/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderlessNGO/ 

- Talk about the issue. Mention Borderless NGO. Help when you can - Together, we’ll make this happen.

The Team and FAQs
Who you are and where you are from: 
Maria recently obtained a degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is dedicated to serving underprivileged and struggling communities and currently assists in the conduction of research regarding substance abuse at UCLA. In her free time, she enjoys meditating, reading, and dancing. 

Cedra is a 21-year old Syrian, raised between Canada and Syria. She recently graduated from Law school with honors from London, England. She is currently working on converting her degree into a Canadian Law degree. She enjoys reading Arabic and English poetry, creating healthy recipes influenced by traditional Syrian or modern cuisine. 

Aya is currently a student at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Raised in Syria, she has an immense love for her country with hopes of returning once her studies are complete. She has a passion for hospitality, and development, and is a strong believer in giving back to the community. She spends her free time engaging in communal work to support and help marginalized undeserved populations. She considers herself an environment conservation activist, and greatly supports activities such as recycling or waste control. 

Catherine is a 21-year old biologist and future chemical engineer, and is currently a student at the Polythecnique University of Montreal. She is very passionate both about science and art, and aims to find a balance between both. Her hobbies include dancing and painting. One her strongest belief is that everyone has a moral obligation to work towards equality. 

What’s your relationship with the parties for whom you are raising funds and your method of contact with them?

We are all either current or previous volunteers at Borderless NGO since 2017 and support the organization by providing assistance to teachers or engaging the children in playful and educating activities such as meditation, Theater, or Arts and Crafts.

Maria keeps regular touch points with the NGO’s founders and other volunteers via  phone calls, messaging, and emails - the borderless NGO network is one big family :)

The NGO's work can only be achieved by the generosity volunteers from all corners of the world that push current frontiers and share our vision of a global community lacking edges, limits, or boundaries. Join Borderless NGO ever-growing family and volunteer / support the way you can. 

Please feel free to contact the NGO directly for more details and any other questions: [email redacted] 

How the funds will be spent?

100% of the funds received (after GoFundMe deducts the platform and processing fees https://www.gofundme.com/pricing ) will be used to pay for the reconstruction of the playground. More specifically, the funds will cover all processes concerning the core construction of the playground (e.g., paving, painting, fencing ...). The funds will also cover equipment and accessories such as swing/slide sets, multi-sport equipment (basketball hoop, goal stands, ...). 

Any leftover funds will be used for monthly fixed operational expenses of the center that hosts the children and deliver the educational curriculum on a daily basis. These operational expenses specifically include:  

-       Monthly rent of the building 

-       Monthly utilities fees of the building (electricity, and water) 

-       Monthly salaries of the teachers 

-       Monthly school supplies and school lunches for the kids 

All other administrative costs and variable expenses will be separately covered by the NGO’s board through other private funding.  

Please feel free to contact the NGO directly for specific details and any other questions: [email redacted] 

What’s your specific plan for how the funds will be withdrawn from and sent to the beneficiary of the campaign?
As GoFundMe doesn’t not support Lebanon as a country (For your ease of reference, please check the supported countries on GoFundMe https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/203604044-Is-my-country-supported- ), the plan is to withdraw the final total amount to a personal bank account in the US and then transfer the total amount to the NGO’s registered bank account in Lebanon. Kamal Al-Kayat will act as a beneficiary on this campaign, and will be responsible for withdrawing the funds and transferring them over to the organizations' account. All transactions will be documented, and an update will be sent to all donors. The NGO will publicly confirm / announce the receipt of money via their social media accounts.   

Please feel free to contact the NGO directly for confirmation or any other questions: [email redacted] 


We truly appreciate your generosity and thank you for your support! 

From the children at Borderless and ourselves, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!