About Al-Hussein Society

The story of AHS goes back to the early 1970s when a friend of mine, the late Nazli Kawar and I spent time visiting and upgrading orphanages as well as the old Cheshire Home that was established during the British Mandate. We noticed that there was an urgent need for restoration and changes and set out to rally financial support and volunteers. We registered as “Al Hussein Society for Child Welfare” at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1981 and after having fully refurbished the large orphanage in Ashrafiye and later having found that the Cheshire Home closed down we decided to open a centre for children with physical disabilities in a rental villa. We ran a small hostel and primary school and set up a modest physiotherapy department in the garage. We were soon overcrowded and noticed a great need for a larger and more professional rehab center. We appealed to His Late Majesty King Hussein for help and were granted a good size piece of land on which to build a centre. HRH Princess Basma in her role as President of the then “Queen Alia Fund’, then helped us by appealing to the late Sultan Qaboos of Oman to grant the necessary funds for the construction. We opened our doors in 1984 and have since then, through the help of various ministries and both local and foreign NGOs as well as generous private donors, succeeded in offering schooling and therapy to several thousands of children around the country. Through the support of the AHS Board and the hard work and dedication of several Executive Directors since then, and especially during the last 17 years under the expert leadership of Mrs. Anne Metzagopian Hanna, we have managed to raise the standard and quality of our work to recognized International levels and attracted backing from both European and American NGOs. May we find strength and support to carry on this valuable momentum to fulfill our pledged task! AHS President HRH PrincessMajda Raad