Ahliah Alumni Association aims at strengthening the links among its graduates and with its current students, supporting the school development, promoting its legacy, affirming its values, and helping deserving and financially needy students to get Ahliah education.
The objectives of the Ahliah Alumni & Old Scholars Association are to:
It is important to note that all information in this timeline is based on personal recollection of Ahliah Graduates and that the pictures are not necessarily related to the periods stated
The graduates association was established under the chairmanship of Ms. Mary Abi Shahla. The aim of the alumni association was Keeping a close bond among graduates old and new whilst helping sustain the reputation and standard of the school. Georgette Abras Hitti was in charge. The association’s activities stopped during the years of World War 2.
It wasn’t until 1960 that the association was re-established by the efforts of Mrs. Huda Kassab Tian and a group of her companions.
The activities of this association were again interrupted due to the war.
The alumni committee began a fund raising campaign to establish a juniors Library in memory of Nada Baroudi Salameh (an alumni who spent 22 years teaching in Ahliah School). The total cost of this project at that time was 50,000L.L.
A new alumni committee was established headed by Kulthum al Husseini Salam (members were Salwa Saba Saba – Nihad Abu Fadil Fernini- Jacqueline Khuwairy Kitran – Jean Sousou Joukhdar- Hanan Fakhoury- Mariam Cortas Said – Mona Namour Iskandar- Suad Mjaas Hanna- Wadad Kronfol Najia- Afaf Zurayk- Rita Fawaz Wehbe. This committee supervised the completion of the junior library which occupied the ground floor of the new construction across the street. Unfortunately, this library was destroyed during the two years that ensued. 1976-1978
At the end of the civil war, the alumni association was headed by Mrs. Shahina Osseiran (members were Almaz Hemade Bayoud- Nada Sleiman Saba – Fadi Jamal el- Din- Leila Fawaz – Amal Hobeika Saliba- Noha Abou Khadra Kadoura- Yvonne Thahabiye Abou Jawde- Nuha Laban Shatila-Najat Halawe). They celebrated Ahliah’s seventy fifth anniversary at the American University of Beirut Alumni Club. Tokens of gold pins were distributed to former graduates. During that year, traditional Ahliah Mujadarah Lunches were revived. This helped bring back a large number of alumni and friends of the school. On Thalassemia day, Mrs. Nidal Alshkar read poems for great poets of land, love and freedom, in the presence of the Lebanese First Lady Mrs. Mona El Hrawi. Fawzi Saed Balbaaki an Ahliah School student gave a symbolic painting about Thalassemia that is still hanging at the Thalassemia permanent care center.
An alumni committee was elected headed by Nadia Haddad Khalifa – Wael Ramadan – Nuha Irani Wazan – Ghazwa Halawe Dajani- Leila Fawaz – Yvonne Abu Jawde- Noha Abou Khadra Kaddoura – Rivan Solaiman – Nada Suleiman Saba – Raya Ayoubi Badran – Maysa Nicolas Zayat – Nuha Shatila Laban. A total of $32000 was donated for scholarships and the establishment of a new library in the main school building.
A new committee was elected headed by Ghazwa Halawi Dajani (members were Fida Rowaiheb Hadjnian – Suad Khoury Choueiri -Nuha Irani Wazan – Laila Mustafa Amar –Lina Shuhaiber Al Shaaer- Hind Hamra Rizk – Iman Tabbara Itani – Hala Farah Younes – Laila Ali Fawaz – Mona Nehme. All the money collected from their activities was again donated for scholarships due to the continued presence of needy students. In addition, to the renovation of preschool, infirmary and daycare center facilities.
A new committee was elected headed by Mrs. Leila Shamma Shaaban (members: Fida Rowaiheb Hadjanian – Najwa Abu Khadra al-Shihabi – – Najwa Rafeh Numan – – Laila Mustafa Amar – Nelly Farah Qiqano – Hiba Mkhayesh Talhouq – Rajaa Hamada Khalil – Lina Shuhaiber al Shaer – Hassan Jaber – Raghida Shukor Habib – Rayya Ayyubi Badran . Money collected from activities was used to purchase Kitchen equipment and finance scholarships for needy students.
Again a new committee was elected headed by laila Fawaz -(members: Fida Rowaiheb Hadjanian – Laila Mustafa Amar – Nelly Farah Qiqano – Lina Shuhaiber al Shaer – – Raghida Shukor – Samira Fawaz- Najwa Numan – Hala Farah Younes-Ghazwa Halawe Dajani-Hanan Fakhoury-Nafiaa Kabani –Souad Khoury –The same committee was consistently re-elected up until present . Money collected over time from various fundraising activities was used for yearly scholarships and a number of important projects. These projects included the renovation of the teachers’ Lounge, renovating and equipping the student cafeteria; total renovation of the old kitchen; purchase of a new electric generator. The total cost of the above mentioned projects mounted to $3500 and a yearly scholarship of $53500.
