SKOUN

What SKOUN does

SKOUN (جمعية سكoun, Skoun Association) is a Lebanese non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2004 and registered as an independent association in Lebanon. It operates one of the country's first outpatient facilities dedicated to substance use, offering confidential and anonymous prevention, treatment, and support services to people who use drugs regardless of nationality, sex, gender, race, religion, or social status. Its service portfolio spans four interconnected programs: outpatient addiction treatment, drug policy reform and advocacy (including legal support), youth-focused prevention education for children aged 4-18, and community-based harm reduction (STI testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, safer nightlife outreach, and community awareness). Supporting these are publications and resources in multiple languages and a dedicated legal advice service for drug-related charges.

The organization runs a headquarters center in Beirut (Rafik Hariri University Hospital campus) and, since September 2022, a second facility — the Community Mental Health and Substance Use Center in Tripoli — opened jointly with Médecins du Monde and El Rahma Medical Center and funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD). SKOUN has no commercial revenue model: all services are free, and the operating budget is composed of community donations (via website, Whish mobile, and American Friends of Skoun channels) and grants from international development agencies. The team is small (1-10 employees reported), and there is no disclosed technology platform, app, or proprietary system beyond standard web and social channels.

SKOUN's strategic value lies in its two-decade policy footprint. It is widely credited with helping to legalize Opioid Agonist Treatment in Lebanon in 2011, activate the Anti-Addiction Committee in 2013, and secure ministerial and prosecutorial circulars in 2016, 2018, and 2019 that decoupled hospital emergency care for overdoses from security reporting and mandated treatment in lieu of prosecution. A draft amendment to the Lebanese drug law submitted to parliament in 2017 remains under parliamentary review. The organization is a recognized participant in international forums including the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Harm Reduction International Conference.

Name

SKOUN

Legal name

جمعية سكون (Skoun Association)

Website

https://skoun.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SKOUN is a Lebanese non-profit founded in 2004 that provides outpatient substance use treatment, harm reduction, youth prevention, legal aid, and drug policy advocacy. It operates centers in Beirut and Tripoli serving people who use drugs regardless of status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Use Treatment and Harm Reduction Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Programs (HLAFABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL), Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ)

Keywords

• Substance use treatment
• Harm reduction services
• Drug policy advocacy
• Addiction prevention programs
• Community outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Community Support: SKOUN is a non-profit organization whose services depend on the generosity of the community. They accept donations through their website and direct contact.
2. International Development Funding: Funding from international development agencies such as Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for specific programs and center operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SKOUN is a Lebanese non-profit organization that delivers outpatient substance use treatment, harm reduction services (including community outreach and STI testing), youth prevention programs, drug policy advocacy, and legal aid to people who use drugs in Lebanon. All services are provided free of charge, confidentially, and anonymously through its centers in Beirut and Tripoli, with revenue drawn from donations and international development grants.

Product overview

Skoun is a Lebanese non-profit organization offering a comprehensive range of substance use and harm reduction services. The organization operates as a unified treatment center providing four interconnected core services: Treatment (outpatient care for substance use disorders), Policy Reform & Advocacy (drug policy reform and legal rights support), Prevention (youth education and school programs), and Community Outreach/Harm Reduction (community-based testing and safer nightlife initiatives). Supporting these core services are Publications & Resources (educational materials and research reports) and Legal Advice Services. All services are confidential, anonymous, and non-judgmental, offered regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, social status, nationality, or gender identity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outpatient Substance Use Treatment Confidential and anonymous outpatient substance use treatment and addiction recovery services for individuals struggling with drug use in Lebanon. Provided free of charge at SKOUN's centers in Beirut and Tripoli.
• Community Outreach / Harm Reduction Community-based harm reduction services including STI testing (HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis), community awareness, and safer nightlife programs targeting young people who use drugs in recreational settings in Lebanon.
• Prevention Programs Youth-focused prevention initiatives including drug education for schools, positive parenting training, capacity building for professionals, peer education, and life skills teaching for children and youth aged 4-18 in Lebanon.
• Policy Reform & Advocacy Advocacy efforts to protect and promote the rights of people who use drugs, including drug policy reform, legal assistance, training on rights, and awareness campaigns within Lebanon's legal and policy framework.
• Legal Advice Services Legal consultation and support for individuals facing drug-related charges, including assistance with treatment alternatives to prosecution and rights awareness.
• Publications & Resources Educational materials including guides on drug misuse, buprenorphine, and naloxone information, legal rights resources in multiple languages, hepatitis and HIV information, safe hospital lists, and annual reports.
• STI Testing Services (HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis) Free and confidential STI testing services for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Syphilis, offered through SKOUN's centers and field outreach activities in Lebanon.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Médecins du Monde (MdM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2022Collaboration with Médecins du Monde (MdM) and El Rahma Medical Center to open the Community Mental Health and Substance Use Center in Tripoli, funded by AFD. The center is open to all people living in Lebanon regardless of nationality, sex, and gender.
• El Rahma Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2022Collaboration with Médecins du Monde and El Rahma Medical Center to open the Community Mental Health and Substance Use Center in Tripoli.
• MENAHRAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event, sharing recommendations to ensure people who use drugs are not left behind in times of crisis.
• Eurasian Harm Reduction AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event.
• FPS BelgiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event.
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel participant at the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs side event.
• EmbraceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the closing event of the mental health campaign, discussing integration of mental health and substance use services into primary healthcare.
• National Mental Health Program (Lebanon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched the mental health campaign and organized the closing event with Skoun's participation, with support from AFD.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Drug Policy Alliance: Leading U.S.-based organization promoting drug decriminalization, harm reduction, and treatment access. Directly comparable mission and advocacy posture, serving as a benchmark for Skoun's policy reform work in Lebanon.
• Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA): Regional harm reduction network covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Co-panelist with Skoun at the 67th Commission on Narcotic Drugs; comparable mission, advocacy posture, and donor ecosystem supporting harm reduction in transitional settings.
• International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC): Global network promoting drug policy reform grounded in human rights and public health. Directly comparable to Skoun's policy reform & advocacy arm, which has contributed to Lebanese legislation on OAT and treatment-as-alternative-to-prosecution.
• MENAHRA (Middle East and North Africa Harm Reduction Association): Regional harm reduction network covering MENA. Skoun is a panel partner at international events; MENAHRA's mission of advocating for harm reduction policies and services for people who use drugs in the same region makes it a directly comparable peer.
• SIDC (Soins Infirmiers et Développement Communautaire): Lebanese community health NGO focused on HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual health, and harm reduction. Comparable service model (community outreach, STI testing, vulnerable populations), same Lebanese geography, and overlapping donor ecosystem.
• Médecins du Monde: International medical humanitarian organization that co-operates the Tripoli Community Mental Health and Substance Use Center with Skoun. Highly comparable mission (healthcare access for vulnerable populations including people who use drugs) and overlapping harm reduction programming across MENA.

Regional players

• ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality: Lebanese NGO working on gender-based violence and vulnerable populations. Comparable non-profit operating model and overlap with Skoun's work with at-risk communities and policy advocacy, though focused on gender rather than substance use.

Broad incumbents

• Médecins Sans Frontières: International medical humanitarian organization working in fragile and conflict-affected settings, including Lebanon. Comparable service-delivery NGO model and overlap on community health and access to care for marginalized populations.
• International Harm Reduction Association: Global umbrella body for harm reduction that Skoun actively engages with at international conferences. Overlapping mission to promote evidence-based drug policy and support harm reduction services for people who use drugs worldwide.

Emerging players

• Youth Rise: International youth-led network advocating for evidence-based drug policy and harm reduction. Directly comparable youth-focused prevention and advocacy mandate, similar target population to Skoun's Youth and Students segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skoun

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SKOUN