About Us › Overview
WAD was founded in 2009 by Maha Milki, drawing on her years of experience coordinating women’s projects with the Middle East Council of Churches.
Through this work, she saw a need for greater awareness around issues affecting women, gender and peacebuilding. She began bringing women together to exchange knowledge, discuss the challenges they were facing and explore practical ways of supporting women and their communities.
How We Started
The Early Days
WAD’s first activities grew out of these women’s gatherings and gradually developed into workshops and community projects in different regions of Lebanon.
This early film offers a glimpse into WAD’s beginnings and some of the projects and activities that shaped its work.
500+ WOMEN
9 REGIONS
3 YEARS
Participated
Across Lebanon
Peace Building Project
Building Bridges
Collaboration has been central to WAD’s work from the beginning. Depending on the project and the region, WAD has worked with women’s organisations, church-related organisations, organisations from other religious communities, municipalities and other local partners across Lebanon.
WAD encourages organisations and communities to take an active part in its activities, creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to meet and work together.
One example was WAD’s three-year Peace Building Project, which brought together more than 500 women from different denominations and religious backgrounds across nine regions of Lebanon to promote understanding, collaboration and reconciliation.
Our Mission
WAD works to give women, children and communities access to knowledge, support and opportunities that can make a practical difference in their lives.
Through workshops, psychosocial support, educational activities and community-based projects, WAD creates spaces where people can learn, share experiences, develop new skills and take a more active role in their communities.
What We Do
WAD’s projects have evolved over the years in response to the needs of the communities it works with. Its activities focus on six main areas:
Women’s Empowerment & Development
Education, vocational training and resources that support women’s social and economic participation.
Gender Awareness & Equality
Workshops and awareness activities addressing gender equality, women’s rights, discrimination and violence against women.
Psychosocial Support
Support for children, women, parents, teachers, caregivers and older adults through creative therapies and activities focused on emotional well-being, self-care and coping with everyday challenges.
Education & Awareness
Workshops, seminars and community activities addressing health, rights and social issues.
Economic Opportunity
Initiatives supporting women’s economic independence through training, entrepreneurship and income-generating opportunities.
Children & Community Development
Programs that help children express themselves, develop coping skills and deal with challenges at home, at school and among their peers.
Our Values
WAD’s work is guided by a commitment to inclusion, mutual respect, dialogue and community participation. By bringing people from different backgrounds together, we encourage understanding, cooperation and opportunities for positive change.