Lebanon. Amel and UPP intervention for children

A successful project to assist Syrian and Lebanese children in Lebanon has just been completed. It was financed by Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) and implemented by Lebanese NGO Amel in partnership with the Italian association Un Ponte Per… (UPP).

Beirut, 20 February 2019 – 10 months’ work, more than 600 children, 1000 books and 462 school kits distributed: these are the numbers of “Madrasati Ahia” (my most beautiful school), a project in support of boys and girls in the Syrian refugee community in Lebanon as well as their Lebanese counterparts, financed by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) and implemented by Lebanese NGO Amel in partnership with the Italian association Un Ponte Per… (UPP).

The Choukine school (Nabatieh Governorate) and two other meeting halls managed by Amel in Ain el Remmaneh and Harat Hreik (Beirut Governorate) have hosted  many  non-formal education events, ranging from sporting events to psycho-social assistance for boys and girls  who fled from the war in Syria, together with children from the host country.

The Choukine school was completely refurbished and today has an external football pitch, and a ramp to ensure access for people with disabilities, and new sanitary facilities.

The library will be stocked with more than 1000 books, for distribution to boys and girls selected by the teachers. Every student from the three institutions will receive  a school kit, for a total of 462 school kits.

Many community events have been organised to encourage mutual understanding and social cohesion between the refugees and the population of their host country, by involving the families of the children involved in the project.

A guarantee of continued education for the children, especially those with disabilities – this is the main objective of “Madrasati Ahia”, through investments in non-formal education as a way to provide psycho-social support.

This approach has already been successfully implemented by Un Ponte Per… in Jordan, and is part of a broader project handled by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) and the Italian association Un Ponte Per… (UPP), working together in the Middle East, to help the most vulnerable communities and to guarantee  the right to education of all the boys and girls affected by the Syrian conflict.