Our committee is dedicated to the well-being of families and children. We are committed to delivering excellence in all our projects and always exceeding expectations.
OUR COMMITTEE
The St – Zacharie Association, a non-profit, apolitical, non-confessional charitable organization providing relief and assistance to the most deprived, was founded by the late Msgr. Zacharie Melki, Patriarchal Vicar Bishop of Beirut (Lebanon) for Syriac Catholics. lt was officially recognized by the Ministry of lnterior of Lebanon in 1986. lts head office is located at the residence of the late Bishop Zacharie Melki, in Harissa, Lebanon.
Meet our dear committee members!
MGR BOUTROS A MELKI
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As a priest from 1965 to 2002, his work was divided between teaching, study, Catholic Action and pastoral ministry in the parish. It was especially in Montreal, where he arrived at the end of 1976, that he deployed his energies, which led to the founding of the Syriac Catholic Community and the construction of its Community Centre in Laval.
As bishop, he acted, from 2002 to 2019, as patriarchal vicar of Jerusalem. He strove to meet the needs generated by the reality of conflict in the Holy Land and the flow of Iraqi and Syrian refugees to Jordan. In addition, he succeeded in restoring and renovating the presbyteries, homes and churches of Amman, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. When he arrived in early September 2002 the Exarchate of Jerusalem was in debt, and when he left Jerusalem some 18 years later the Exarchate’ss coffers were well ended.
And since 2020, the year of his retirement, he is leading the Saint-Zacharie Association in Lebanon. He wants to make himself useful to society by supporting a very good cause.
BASSAM TOCHAN
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Bassam holds an MBA and is a Certified Management Accountant. He is also a financial planner. In 2009, he became a private banker. He then put his assets at the service of high net worth clients who are looking for a personalized service. His understanding of wealth management stems as much from his client service experience as from his knowledge of the business world. His financial services range from retirement planning for his clients to the day-to-day management of their transactions. Bassam joined the Lalonde-Doyon Group in 2018. In addition, he is involved in several causes as a volunteer or board member. Indeed, he worked as vice-president within the F.E.Lib Foundation from 2013 to 2016, and as administrator/treasurer of the Canada-Lebanon Chamber of Commerce. He is currently treasurer/administrator of the Fondation Gérard-Delage; he is also on the board of directors of the Fondation du CHUM since 2020.
FADI MELKI
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After accomplishing a Master degree in International Banking in the United-States, Fadi moved to Canada in 1987. He started in Montreal a Real Estate Co. until today. He also founded in 1996 a family manufacturing Co. In the floor covering business. All along his professional career, he was always implicated with the young people for he considers them the future of the society. As a young man, he was involved in the Scouts and an active member of the Youth Committee in the Syriac Catholic Church. And he is now dedicating himself with all his heart to implement in Montreal a division of St-Zacharie Association of Lebanon because he is convinced that lots of people there, children, young and adults, live in very bad conditions and need our support. He wants to alleviate their suffering and even more to promote the human and educational growth of children who lack the basic elements of life in their own milieu.
HÉLÈNE SAYA
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Hélène Saya, administrative manager with over 30 years of experience in planning and coordinating administrative procedures and systems to design ways to streamline processes.
As a volunteer and member of the Board of Directors of the Saint-Zacharie Association, she dedicates her work and contributes to helping the most needy, vulnerable children. Together with all the members, they dedicate our efforts to the success of this organization.
MAZIN NAAMI
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Mazin Naami moved to Montreal in 1979. Shortly after his marriage, he started working closely with Msgr. Pierre Melki, pastor of the Syriac Catholic Community of Montreal. He
developed a passion for continuously helping others and remaining involved with
local charitable organizations and foundations; including the following areas
of needed assistance: homelessness, battered women, sick children etc.
developed a passion for continuously helping others and remaining involved with
local charitable organizations and foundations; including the following areas
of needed assistance: homelessness, battered women, sick children etc.
In his professional career, sales & marketing were his specialization and strengths, with a strong capability of negotiation and problem-solving. He has been involved in many successful transactions working with several national and international organizations.
And actually he committed himself to helping St-Zacharie Association to achieve its goals of assistance and promoting a better environment for those in our society who are vulnerable and marginalized.
NEHMAT BASSAL
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Arriving in Montreal in 1968 with her husband and two daughters, Nehmat enrolled in university to obtain her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in teaching. These allowed her to sign a contract with the Montreal School Board. She taught in the welcoming classes of immigrant children, to learn to speak French so that they could integrate a regular class. She was appointed pedagogical advisor for the reception classes at the C.S.D.M. The Minister of Education approached her to think and design a French curriculum for the welcoming classes; it is still in place. In the 1970s, she joined Father Georges Coriaty in welcoming new immigrants with the goal of accompanying them to find housing, work and more. Robert and Nehmat, along with four other vibrant couples, founded “Le Foyer” and organized dances, the “Miss Foyer” ball, outdoor days and other activities. Robert and Nehmat collaborated with Father Pierre Melki on a multitude of activities. Particularly, the campaign to raise funds for the construction of a community center in Laval, well known in the community today. Currently, Mrs. Bassal is the vice-president of the Entraide Bois-de-Boulogne organization. The main goal of this organization is to welcome and help new immigrants to live better in Quebec.
Make a difference, one step at a time.
The St. Zacharias Association encourages and promotes the recognition and respect of all human beings, regardless of their religious or ideological affiliation. By recognizing the value of each individual, we can work together to create a more inclusive and equitable world. This can be done by developing initiatives to promote cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, creating spaces for dialogue and mutual understanding, and encouraging cooperation and empathy between communities. By working for these values, we can help build a more harmonious society that respects all human beings.