Gemmayzeh, Gouraud street
Gouraud street
Beirut 1100
Lebanon
- Others
Koun, meaning "be" in Arabic, is a Lebanese non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote mental health, empowerment and peace in marginalized communities in Lebanon through yoga and mindfulness.
Koun works with refugees, migrant workers, economically marginalized Lebanese, LGBTQI+ community, visually impaired individuals and other vulnerable communities from different ages starting the age of 6.
The NGO was legally registered on January 16, 2020, has 12 board members and is women-led. It doesn't have full-time employees, only project-based consultants and volunteers.
In 2022, Koun decided to be as self-sustainable as possible so right now we only have two core fundings from "Global Fund for Women" and "Women Win" that cover the rent of our safe space in Beirut and other running cost. In parallel, we run paid yoga classes, workshops and courses in the space and use their revenue to fund our free community programs.
To ensure sustainability, we train women from marginalized communities in teaching trauma-informed yoga and help them run their own classes in their community.
Our Mission
Making yoga accessible as a tool for mental health and total wellbeing for marginalized and vulnerable groups by adopting a “community-to-community” approach.
Our Vision
A world where yoga is accessible to everyone and where vulnerable individuals reach a state of self-awareness that empowers and transforms them and improves their lives.
Strategic goals:
- Vulnerable women and children have developed self-awareness and gained the necessary tools for empowerment, mental health and total wellbeing.
- Marginalized communities and vulnerable groups have access to yoga regardless of any geographical, political or social barrier.
- Koun has become a catalyst organization in promoting yoga with a holistic approach to marginalized groups.
Our Values
- Inclusion: Koun believes in a diverse organization that includes and integrates marginalized and vulnerable communities from different cohorts, without any type of discrimination.
- Equity: We want to promote the access to yoga and well-being to marginalized groups with a focus on gender equality and women empowerment, in order to positively influence the whole community.
- Integrity: Koun aims at remaining devoted and true to its core work and final purpose, regardless of the circumstances and challenges.
- Compassion: Koun is determined to understand other people’s feelings and needs, in order to inspire and get into action to minimize their challenges and improve their well-being.
Koun's mission is very one-pointed and the project is one: "making yoga accessible to those who need it"
Enhancing the mental health of vulnerable communities who have no access to tools for well-being through trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness.
why not! :)