Aimee Ghanem is the founder of Sworld, where she spearheads initiatives to enhance social work practices and policies in Lebanon and beyond. Before founding Sworld, Aimee served in various capacities, including senior researcher and project evaluator for international NGOs and government projects across the Middle East and Europe. Her academic credentials include ongoing doctoral studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, a Master’s in Social Work from St. Joseph University, Beirut, and a Bachelor’s in Medical and Social Work from Lebanese University. Aimee’s work is dedicated to improving social work through education, policy advocacy, and practical interventions.

Hyam Kahi brings over 40 years of diverse experience in social work, covering fieldwork, research, education, and leadership in academic settings. A pioneer in advancing social work in Lebanon since 1968, Hyam has made significant contributions to the field. As the former Director of the Lebanese School of Social Work at Saint Joseph University from 1984 to 1998. She later initiated and led the University Center For Family and Community Health at Saint Joseph University until 2012. Currently, she serves on the Lebanese National Ethics Committee for Kidney Transplant and the Ethics Committee of Hotel Dieu de France. Hyam is also honored as the Honorary Director of the Lebanese School of Social Work and as a “Trusted Person” at Saint Joseph University. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Laval University, Quebec, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Saint Joseph University, Beirut. As the Leading Researcher on Social Work Archive at Sworld, she continues to impact the field through her dedication to archiving and preserving the history of social work in Lebanon.

She holds a professorship in artistic and movement-oriented methods in social work at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), Würzburg, Germany. Her expertise centers on participatory, experience-based methods for knowledge generation, with a particular focus on community building, conflict transformation, and self-care/empowerment. She specializes in using interactive theater, mindfulness, and experiential learning to foster conscientization—broadening perceptions, consciousness, interconnections, and embodied presence as integral components of life on Earth. Her work aims to enhance individuals’ sense of purpose, deep connection, and belonging, nurturing self-worth that leads to responsible action, creativity, and engagement in shaping a new Earth. As a collaborator at Sworld, she applies these transformative methods to advance our social initiatives and projects.

Lisa Mends holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a master’s degree in International Social Work with Refugees and Migrants. She currently serves as a research assistant at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), where she coordinates higher education exchange projects with Lebanon and Jordan. Her research focuses on anti-racist social work education, migration, and diversity studies. Lisa is also a doctoral student at the graduate college ‘educational processes in anti-discriminatory academic teaching’ at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. As a collaborator at Sworld, she brings her expertise in these vital areas to further enrich our projects and initiatives.