The Kitabna team met in Beirut, Lebanon, in Arabic class. Helen Patuck and Maria Chambers were studying Arabic, and Asia Haidar was their teacher. Together they began to develop the Kitabna methodology: local storytelling and the creation of culturally relevant, multilingual children's books themed around life in refugee camps and displacement. They have now been joined by Federica Margini, who brings her experience of communication and impact measurement tools to our work, and Clemenine Durand joined the team having worked on the French translations of Kitabna's books.
In 2021, Kitabna became a community interest company (CIC), operating as a social enterprise under Helen's directorship. The original team now serves on a voluntary basis as an Advisory Board to govern Kitabna's direction and ensure we serve our community interest, which you can read about in our Articles of Association.
Dr Usama Alshughry
Arabic Translator and Literary Editor, Advisory Board Member
Based in Istanbul, Turkey
Usama is a psychiatrist and MHPSS expert. He spent his career working with IDPs and refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. Usama believes that sustainable psychosocial wellbeing only ends in clinical work, but begins with empowerment of vulnerable people affected by adversities. He has been a huge fan of Kitabna since the beginning, in 2014, and he is pleased to work with Kitabna as a consultant, editor and translator. Outside his work, he writes short stories in Arabic, and takes photos with film cameras. Usama works in Arabic and English.
The Kitabna team first met in 2014 in Beirut, Lebanon, in Arabic class. Together they began to develop the Kitabna methodology: local storytelling and the creation of culturally relevant, multilingual children's books themed around life in refugee camps and displacement.
In 2021, Kitabna became a community interest company (CIC), operating as a social enterprise under Helen's directorship. The original team now occasionally works on projects together, and largely serves on a voluntary basis as an Advisory Board to govern Kitabna's direction and ensure we serve our community interest, which you can read about here. Shannon Rayner joined us as Publishing Officer in 2021-23.
Lin Bilal
Arabic Translator and Advisory Board Member
Based in Istanbul, Turkey
Lin is a humanitarian aid worker. She graduated from the Aleppo University's Institute of Banking and Management Science in 2013 with a diploma in business management. Lin started her humanitarian career in 2014, specializing in protection mainstreaming and safeguarding. She enjoys using her skills to contribute to the exciting humanitarian response advances that happen every day in the field. She believes in equality and the right to access education, saying that: "Together, we can conquer all obstacles for a better future for our generation." Lin works in Arabic and English.
Meet the team
Helen Patuck
Founder and Director, Author/Illustrator
Based in Somerset, UK
helen@kitabna.org
Helen is a writer, creative consultant, illustrator, teacher and children's author from the UK. Since founding Kitabna in 2014, Helen has written and illustrated several of our books and coordinates our work in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as Director of the CIC and consultant to the United Nations and various NGOs. Helen teaches English (ESOL) to refugee and migrant women in the UK. Helen works in English, Arabic and French.
Meet the team
Asia Haidar
Co-Founder and Advisory Board Member
and Arabic Editor
Based in Hamburg, Germany
info@kitabna.org
Asia Haidar is a co-founder and advisory board member of Kitabna – Our Book CIC, where she works on Arabic editing, translation, and outreach. She is also a freelance journalist for Der SPIEGEL, reporting on women’s rights, migration, and conflictS in the Middle East. Asia works in Arabic, Kurmanji, German, and English.
Annual meeting of the Friends of Kitabna Advisory Board, May 2025 - between UK, Germany, Turkey
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