Toufoula

Toufoula
طفولــة
Founded April 2006
Type NGO
Focus "Designing a "dream floor" ward in all hospitals where children receive therapy" .
Location
  • Lebanon, Badaro , Sami Al Solh Ave. , Youssef center
Area served
 Lebanon
Method Cancer research, Endowments, and Education.
Website toufoula.org

Toufoula is a Lebanese voluntary[1] health organization dedicated to improve the quality of life of children suffering from cancer and blood diseases by designing and creating a unique and colorful environments aimed at offering a safe haven throughout their treatment. Toufoula was co-founded in 2006 by a group of young volunteers in Beirut, Lebanon.

The word Toufoula is Arabic "طفولة" for "Childhood"[2] and the organization mission is to improve the quality of life of children suffering from cancer or blood diseases.

Dream Room Project

Toufoula's main project is the "Dream Rooms"[3] and its aim is to design a "dream floor" ward in all hospitals where children receive therapy. Dream Rooms aim at derailing the children from the arduous treatment and journey while hospitalized. To that end, Toufoula co-founders started this initiative by upbringing of the idea that was then extrapolated via the collaborative work with other architects and designers. Toufoula had a number of designs submitted namely by Bernard Khoury, Celia Arbid, Nadim Karam, Simone Kosremelli, Raed Abi Lameh, Karim Chaya, Nada Debs,Erga group: Randa and Elie Gebrayel, Jean Louis Mainguy, Karen Chikerjian, Michele Maria Chaya, Lina Ghotmeh, JWT, Zuhair Murad, Rabih Keyrouz, Gina Succar, Michele Stanjovsky, Jalal Mahmoud, Sary El Khazen[4] and IB2 who contributed a lot for Toufoula by advertising for the concept of the Dream Room project by a slogan " No Color , No life " noticing that IB2 is an expansion unit of Impact BBDO.

Zuhair Murad: Taking the kids out of their reality and allowing them to imagine they are designers themselves by mixing and matching the different options of garments on the imaginary characters on the wall.

This project is to be implemented in all the hospitals that have oncology hematology wards all around Lebanon. It has been implemented in 3 major hospitals already since the year 2008:

Toufoula has set a goal, that by 2012 all pediatric oncology hospital rooms in Lebanon will be changed into dream rooms. The hospitals that admit cancer kids in Lebanon are: Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Saint George Hospital - Beirut, Jeitawi, Hotel Dieu, Rizk, Makassed, Notre Dame Des Secours Nini Tripoli and Hammoud Saida.[6]

Objectives

Gina Succar: A sea, sand and sky room where the child is like a free bird.

Toufoula’s goals culminate in one main aim: to improve the quality of life of children suffering from cancer.

Achievements

Fundraising for patient treatment

Sary El Khazen: A poetic and symbolic reinterpretation of the sky in a cloud shaped room that evokes reverie in an airy world of fantasy.

Toufoula most importantly raises money to help in the treatment of the sick children[11]

Years Number of Patient Amount
2007 7 $9,148
2008 2 $4,893
2009 19 $36,195
2010 11 $64,926
TOTAL 39 $115,162

Events

Toufoula depends on fundraising activities and sponsors for its event. To fulfill their objectives several events were done:

Bernard Khoury: L-shaped object fixed to the ceiling, a control system allows the children to change the colors of their portion of the sky according to their mood.
  1. BIEL: Toufoula organized a carnival which took place from April 28, 2006 until May 1, 2006 at BIEL.:[12] 11,000 visitors came over three days; 200 sick children from all over Lebanon, along with their siblings, attended the event; 500 volunteers from various schools and universities across Lebanon helped make this event possible.
  2. Marathon: : Toufoula participated in the Beirut Marathon 2006 by wearing sewed butterfly wings (over 100) while running, winning Toufoula the Best costume for 2006’s Marathon.[13]
  3. Garden Show: During the opening of Garden Show, Toufoula did a parade with school kids, a juggler and a magic show.
  4. FIKR Conference: hosted by President Michel Sleiman was held at Phoenicia Hotel on December 8–9. Toufoula is selected as the only NGO from all Arab world to present their work at the conference. Mr. Maxime Chaya represented Toufoula, along with other Toufoula members, and patients who are directly supported by Toufoula's mission.[14]

References

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