On January 10th in Beirut, Caffè Agonista reopened, one of the projects supported in the Lebanese capital by the WIP program. A truly extraordinary guest also attended the “reopening” celebration: the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Fabrizio Marcelli, who addressed the owners and the Pro Terra Sancta staff with words of encouragement and sincere appreciation.
It all began in 2018 when Wassim El Hage, until then a physiotherapist in a center caring for many young people with disabilities, opened a café—Caffè Agonista—where he employed several young people with disabilities. Among them were George Gergi, who has Down syndrome, and Farah Ballout, a young woman with autism. The experiment worked: the young people worked well and were happy, and in 2021 Wassim was able to open another Agonista in a shopping mall.
Meanwhile, the idea of launching WIP became increasingly concrete, and in Beirut applications began to be reviewed from aspiring entrepreneurs seeking help to start or strengthen their ventures. Among them were Farah and George who, perhaps encouraged by their experience at Agonista, asked to open a place of their own. The WIP staff came up with an idea: to support the Agonista project by proposing to Wassim that George and Farah become partners, with a total share of 30 percent. The owner enthusiastically accepted, and from November 2023 his business could count on WIP’s sponsorship.
However, the situation in Lebanon quickly deteriorated, and bombings forced Wassim to close. What reopened on January 10th was an Agonista still facing enormous challenges, yet continuing to resist by offering catering services and considering a new, less costly location.