Current Projects
Pregnancy Project
The center has been running a first-of-its-kind pregnancy project. We work with 30 women in 3 month cycles throughout their pregnancy journey. In 2023 we had three groups, with 90 women in total. The pregnant women are with us for 8 weeks, during which they practice prenatal Yoga to prepare for birth. We have a specialized coach who provides them with mental health support, breast feeding, and parenting sessions. They also recieve free check ups with doctors from Endless Medical Advantage (EMA) who provide them with medication and pre-natal vitamins. The women recieve a dignity kit with necessities for themselves and their babies. Our logistic manager pays for part of their hospital bill and we continue to follow up with the mothers and their babies. This relationship resulted in our Newborn Project.
Feedback from the pregnant women:
”I loved the time at the center. At my first yoga session I started thinking about myself and how my body is feeling. I am now starting to think about how I can give myself time to focus on myself and my needs. I learned that I should rest an hour a day, especially when I am pregnant. I released some negative energy at the sessions, and I learned that I should not hold on to my pain, and allow myself to cry. I want to thank you for this project”.
”I Loves the yoga sessions because it made me relax my body, and the teacher gave us new exercises to do at home. The other trainer gave us psychological comfort and gave me strenght”.
Newborn Project
The wellness of mothers during the first months of having a newborn is critical. Circle of Wellbeing strives to incorporate meaningful practices that enhance and strengthen mother’s awareness, confidence and comfort with their newborns. Our experienced and trained staff in mother-baby care will lead our classes every week.
They will facilitate breastfeeding practices, walking through the development stages of babies and what to be prepared for, ways to hold the baby properly, and connecting the mom and babies through appropriate baby massage techniques. At the end of the project, the women will partake in a distribution, including hygiene items for the women and items needed to care for a baby.
Hot Meals Project
Every Friday, up to 15 women have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious hot meal from a nearby restaurant. It’s about creating a safe and welcoming space where they can bring their children and have a nice time together. The best part is that they get to enjoy a warm meal that is specially cooked for them, and they can sit back and relax. The children are playing next door after the meal, so the women can create new relations and have time for themselves for their own well-being.
Our trained facilitator who leads the project, lead different games and activities with the women to make them express their feelings after the meal. Our facilitator lead them through this with story telling, drawings and conversations.
Feedback from some of the women attending the meals:
”I forgot all my worries while being here at the center”
“My child asked me for a sandwich yesterday, but I don’t have the money to buy it for her. I am very grateful for Circle of Wellbeing who gave us this meal today, and to my child”.
Menstrual Health Project
In cooperation with Pachamama we are spreading awareness about menstrual health and how to use reusable pads. We started this project together in February 2024, and we will also have trained women sewing the reusable pads at our Women Center.
At our Women Center in Bekaa we have awareness sessions about reusable pads by our trained facilitator with a group of teenagers and women. They will learn how to use and clean the reusable pads, and we distribute eight pads to each person.
Circle of Wellbeing is also a part of a Period Poverty Committee in Lebanon to do more research, support women with menstrual health and talk more about this issue in cooperation with other NGOs.
