Founders Story

Having been born and raised in the Arab world, we all had first hand experience with the tragedies of the refugee crisis. We recognized its effect on children, families, communities and society as a whole. After moving to Boston for university, we all shared a common passion and belief in the power of education. We thus came together from Harvard University, MIT, and Boston University and the Tanweer Initiative was developed.
 

Through her experiences in the refugee camps of Lebanon, our co-founder, Cayanne Chachati, realized that certain pervasive issues in the camp such as sexual harassment and military recruitment, were simply ignored and their discussion stigmatized. What was needed was a way to undermine these barriers, remove these limits, and knock down these walls. Tanweer Initiative equips students to do just that - end the cycle of silence. 
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Meet the Team

Cayanne Chachati

Founder and CEO
A sophomore at Harvard University, Cayanne studies Government and Global Health Policy.  She lived in Syria until the war began, then moved to Lebanon to continue her high school education.

Asheley Kim

Financial Associate
A junior at Harvard, Ashley studies Sociology and Economics with a citation in German. She grew up in South Korea and lives there now, but also lived in Canada and different parts of America until arriving in Boston for college.

Lana Kassis

Founder and CEO 
A sophomore at Boston University, Lana studies Human Physiology.  She grew up in Boston, but her family is Syrian and she visits annually.

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Ghada Amer

Director of Content
As a Sophomore at Harvard University, Ghada studies Government and Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality. She is Palestinian-Jordanian. Having been born and raised in Amman, Ghada gained a passion for empowering women in the Arab world and catalyzing much-needed social changes. She aspires to become an international lawyer once she graduates. ​

Campbell Erickson

Content and Outreach Associate 
Campbell Erickson is currently an undergraduate at Harvard College. His prior experience spans the fields of education, technology, and international law. Campbell has also started his own initiatives aimed at forwarding youth engagement in conflict negotiation processes.

Marie-Jane Rebeiz

Director of Design
A freshman at Northeastern University, Maria Jane is currently enrolled as an undecided student but is leaning towards Behavioral Neuroscience. She is Lebanese/American but lived in Lebanon her whole life.

​Catherine Bond

Outreach Associate

Catherine Bond is an undergraduate at Harvard College, majoring in neurobiology. She grew up in Mexico City and Miami, Florida.

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Zein Nayal
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Di​rector of Outreach
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