Funding partner : Save the Children - Sweden

Duration : 7 month

As a  continuance of the project “Iraqi / Lebanese Children & Youth Empowerment through Non Formal Education and Psychosocial Activities”, funded by Save the Children, Amel association is providing for 7 months (as of November 2010) Educational and psychosocial support for Iraqi and Lebanese children in its Community Center in Haret Hreik.

The main objective of the project is to increase the access to education for Iraqi refugees, to help them facing the difficulties they might encounter in Lebanese schools as well as to enhance their psycho-social well being.

In order to better address the weaknesses of children in specific subjects, remedial classes are organized twice a week in Math, Arabic and English, where 150 children are provided with after school support classes.  At the center, children have access to recreational activities, focusing on music, art, handcrafts, drawing, and computer sessions. Throughout these activities children are encouraged to express themselves, their fears and concerns. The project also includes various activities such as workshops tackling educational subjects with an interactive and recreational way, and awareness sessions for children on several themes such as discrimination, health and self-esteem.

Counseling and Psychological support is also provided for families and children visiting the center, where individual and collective sessions are organized with parents and children identified as the most in need of a psychological follow-up.

Within the framework of this project, School clubs will be implemented in 4 schools located in the southern suburbs of Beirut.  Each school will be choosing a specific theme (sport, environment, music...) and will be organizing with the support of AMEL several activities in this domain.