Birds’ Nest

The Birds’ Nest Orphanage was founded by Maria Jacobson on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 35 Kilometers away from Beirut, on the immediate neighborhood of the ruins of the historical city of Byblos, nowadays called Jbeil.

During World War I one and half million Armenians were massacred by the Turks. Two and half million Armenians were expelled from their homeland and were forcefully driven to the deserts of Syria and Iraq. Among the survivors of the Armenian Genocide were thousands of orphans. In 1907, 25-year-old Miss Maria Jacobson from Denmark came to Kharpert, Cilicia, to serve in the Armenian Hospital. When the American missionaries abandoned the Armenian cities and villages, Miss Jacobson protected the Armenian orphans by providing them daily nutrition and medical care. In 1926, when the American Near East Relief Foundation left the Middle East, Miss Jacobson bought the Armenian orphanage of Jbeil, by the assistance of the Danish KMA humanitarian association. She dedicated her entire life to serve the Armenian orphans at the Birds’ Nest until her death in 1960. The KMA continued to take care of Birds’ Nest for the next ten years and in 1970 transferred it to the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.

The director is V. Rev. Fr. Dajad Ashkian

The present Board of Trustees consists of the following members:

  • Rev. Fr. Mesrob Kerkezian
  • Joseph Bezjian
  • Hasmig Bezdigian
  • Shake Torossian
  • Krikor Arslanian
  • Seta Chorekdjian
  • Garo Haroutyounian

Address:

BIRDS’ NEST
Hay Ain El Yasmine
Armenian Street
P.O.Box 18
Jbeil-Lebanon

Phone: (+961-9) 540867
Fax: (+961-9) 540027
E-mail: armbirds@cyberia.net.lb
Facebook page: Birds Nest Armenian orphanage
Facebook group: Birds Nest Armenian orphanage (official)

Please send donation transfers to:
Name of Bank: Credit Libanais, Bourdj Hammoud Branch
Swift Code: CLIBLBBX
Account No: 012 001 160 0005803 00 1
Phone: (+961-1) 262393, 255429
Telex: 43626, 43623, 42861, CREDNLIB LB

Sterlin – IBAN: LB89 0053 0012 0021 6000 0580 3004
Lebanese Pound – IBAN: LB06 0053 0012 1002 1000 0580 3003
US Dollar – IBAN: LB 90 005300 12 0011 6000 0580 3001