Thursday, June 4, 2015

Capacity Building and Youth Engagement in Ursal

The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) has always been committed to playing a vital and important role in building local capacity and enhancing youth engagement in the process of building bridges of co-existence and non-violent conflict transformation among various stakeholders throughout the Baalbeck-Hermel region, especially in Ursal and its surrounding, one of the most underprivileged areas that has received a lot of attention after the Syrian crisis. 

In Ursal, LOST and for 3 consecutive years has been implementing a capacity and skills building program of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) staff in northern Bekaa. As part of this program, an English training session respecting pedagogical objectives is being given to MSF staff, mostly who are doctors and nurses in order to develop, improve and expand their knowledge and capacities in English so that they can communicate better within the working environment.
In addition, LOST with the partnership of OTI/USAID is implementing a project entitled "Youth Led Initiatives in Northern Bekaa" for high school students by organizing workshops on conflict mitigation and social media in addition to the implementation of youth-led community projects. The project covers four areas (Ursal, Labwi, Ein and Ras Baalbeck). These training sessions and community projects will help in promoting peaceful coexistence and reducing tensions between local stakeholders in the targeted villages thus tackling negative stereotypes and prejudices against “the other”. 

UNICEF/LOST partnership Embraces “Education for All”

The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) and through its partnership with UNICEF is implementing a lot of social cohesion and peace building activities that help the Lebanese community and the Syrian refugees accept each other and reduce tensions between these different constituencies. Moreover, LOST/UNICEF partnership also offers an educational opportunity to Syrian refugees who have been left behind due to a lot of unforeseen reasons.
LOST’s team on the ground is experiencing a lot of success stories where highlighting some of them in can show how beneficial it is to implement such projects  and channel this partnership with UNICEF towards a higher level of intervention .
Abdalla Al Abboud, a 16-year-old Syrian refugee living at an Informal Tental Settlement (ITS) in Ein, retarded and disabled as an aftermath of an auto crash. One day, he showed up at our branch in Ein very enthusiastic to learn and so eager from the beginning to take part of our educational skills program. He called us many times to know when we are going to start our educational skills program in order to join in. At the beginning of the program, he had his grades around 3 out of 10. Now after 3 months in the program, his grades are around 8 out of 10. This pre and post-testing showed a lot of commitment, determination, and improvement on part of Syrian beneficiaries of the program.
Not too far from that ITS in Ein, Somar Al-Ghafri is a 16-year- old student with a disability in Fakiha public location. Somar decided to challenge his disability where he showed a lot of improvement since he first came to our educational facility at Fakiha. His understanding capacity used to be extremely low and couldn’t also read. Now, he can write faster than before. He passed all his exams with high grades especially in French and Arabic.
The above stories make us feel proud of our work because in a way or another we are helping and improving a lot of people’s lives not for the time being, but for a life time.

Monday, May 25, 2015

UNICEF New Zeeland Executive Director at LOST to Assess Social Cohesion Initiatives

 
On Tuesday, May 19, 2015, the executive director of UNICEF, NZ, Mrs. Vivien Maidaborn along with Marion Blake, a photographer and UNICEF team Lebanon visited LOST premises in Bedneyel and attended a Merge activity in Hawsh Musraya bringing together more than 100 Lebanese and Syrian youth in a recreational activity.

After introducing UNICEF/LOST partnership objectives and social cohesion approach to NZ senior delegation, LOST introduced two more approaches where Mrs. Blake attended part of a “conflict analysis” workshop organized by LOST and forum ZFD and took part at another workshop on “social cohesion” about Human Rights organized by LOST and the Embassy of the Netherlands. Then UNICEF team headed towards an Informal Tental Settlement (ITS) in Howsh Mosraya to attend a Merge Activity conducted by 35 Lebanese Youth and about 45 Syrian youth in addition to the refugees’ parents, little siblings and residents. The merge program was racing bags between youth participants organized by the Lebanese. LOST then played some traditional Syrian songs and the UNICEF team danced with some Syrian children. Hanadi El Rahim, a 15-year-old Syrian participant also gave a passionate speech greeting LOST and UNICEF for the initiative and stressing the Right to learn for everybody.

Such a visit strengthens this productive partnership with UNICEF and exchanges experience which will in turn improves the quality of services offered to both Syrian refugees and the most vulnerable hosting community who are seeking assistance.  


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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Dreams, Aspirations and Progress at Public Nurseries in Northern Bekaa through the Australian Embassy’s DAP


LOST's Newest project came to  marvelous conclusion, thanks to the generous donation of the Australian Embassy in Lebanon through the Direct Aid Program (DAP), Starting April 2015, LOST has implemented the project in Northern Bekaa, specifically in Hermel aiming at performing a refurbishing process to 16 nurseries that had suffered years of underfunding and neglecting.  The nurseries underwent several repairs ranging from painting, placing carpets to changing the tables, desks, and closets.  Each one of these nurseries was renewed according to a needs assessment LOST has done prior implementation.

The classes' new look reflects a more vivid atmosphere where the kids can enjoy school and develop in a safer child friendly environment. Health conditions have always been a mega priority that this renovation secured for the upcoming generations. This is a corner stone in building a brighter future for our upcoming generations; they can be the breath of fresh air this society needs, and we have just got to make sure they are well equipped for tomorrow; all development starts at a classroom.

Two project upcoming events are marked on the project’s calendar for next month. On Thursday May the 28th, 2015 an event will be held in Hermel as a commemoration of the project impact and on June 4th LOST will host the Ambassador of Australia in Lebanon, H.E Mr. Glenn Miles in its Bednayel branch to conclude the project.

Friday, May 15, 2015

USAID/OTI and LOST Promote for Social Cohesion through Kicking off “Youth-led Initiative in Northern Bekaa”

On May 5th, 2014, the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) inaugurated a USAID/OTI 5-month project "Youth-Led Initiatives in Northern Beqaa" at LOST premises in Ein in the presence of the governor of Baalbeck, USAID/OTI senior delegation, mayors and municipality members of the targeted villages, school principals and teachers, mucktars, key local figures, local NGO representatives, and more than 100 youth beneficiaries from Labwe, Ursal Ein, Fakiha, and Ras Baalbeck.

This in-kind project aims at supporting the engagement of more than 80 youth from four areas located at the Baalbeck-Hermel district (Ursal, Labwe, Fakiha/Ein, and Ras Baalbeck). These youth will receive trainings in conflict mitigation, needs assessment techniques, social media, and project design and implementation, and then participate in public outreach activities using social media, murals at the targeted areas, and the arts to disseminate peace messages. The youth will also design and implement community projects in the four targeted areas addressing sources of tension and providing tangible community benefits.

LOST’s founder Dr. Ramy Lakkis delivered an introductory speech explaining the objectives and procedures of the project to audience. He clarified that the project develops the interpersonal and intercultural skills of participants and reinforces the conflict resolution skills across and within the Lebanese community. He also spoke about the need of a new generation that can communicate and build strong relationships built on mutual respect.
 The governor of Baalbeck-Hermel, Mr. Basheer Khodr gave a speech thanking LOST for the initiative and showed all support to such activities. He also saluted youth participants for their active participation and showed his willingness to participate in some of the project’s activities.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Karaoke, Conflict Mitigation Tool in Northern Bekaa


On Saturday April 25th, 2015, the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) organized a “Peak Activity” at Baytna restaurant in Baalbeck bringing together 48 youth (25 Lebanese and 23 Syrian youth from an ITS in Douris/ Balkijian).  The Activity, merely a Karaoke and singing followed by lunch, aimed at merging the Syrian adolescents with their Lebanese counterparts outside the context of the ITS where they, in a very friendly environment, can break the psychological barriers and discover their common interests they share.


The participants showed remarkable cooperation where they sang, and danced together without feeling a difference between the Lebanese host and the Syrian refugee. During lunch, the participants talked, shared stories, and even took selfies to remember this day as a joyful memory.
Such a series of activities LOST is organizing in the field on a bi-weekly basis can thus change the misconceptions that the war in Syria and the phenomena of refugees created in the mindset of young adolescents and show them that pre-judgment is a wrong practice.

Promoting Women Political Participation in Public Life


As part of the “Step towards Municipal Elections”, a joint project funded by the Embassy of Netherlands in Lebanon, the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) in coordination with the municipality of Bedenyel organized a seminar on promoting women political participation in public life on April 2, 2015. 

In the presence of 300 attendees that range from municipal mayors and members, school principals and teachers, representatives of civil society organizations and interested people, Dr. Rami Lakkis, founder and president of LOST, presented a seminar that highlighted the importance of women in society in general and in political life in particular.

Lakkis asserted that Lebanese women do play a significant role in business and the private sector and as increasingly in civil society, advocacy and social services. However, when it comes to their entry into the formal political arena, women’s numbers remain extremely low. Based on that, her participation is very important not only for her as an individual, but for her family and on a larger scale for the society.

He also concentrated on the fact that women participation in the political domain is not, by any means, a gender issue; she is to play a significant role in the community simply because of the positive impact she will have on the community.


At the end of the seminar, Dr. Lakkis opened the room for a series of Q&A where the participants show a great interest in the topic and appreciation for the new approach. On his end, Dr. Lakkis thanked the audience for their active attendance, as well as the Dutch Embassy for their generosity to fund the project.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

UNFPA Training in Baalbeck, Problems solved!

The problem solving training, part of  UNFPA’s “Capacity Development and Life Skills Training for Syrian and Lebanese Women in the Baalbeck El-Hermel Area” project was concluded today the 24th of April 2014 in a very warm event. The 12 Lebanese and Syrian women, residing in  Baalbeck area, who participated in the two-month project, expressed their great gratitude and enthusiasm in the event that was held  at LOST’s main headquarters in Baalbeck.

The project trained these ladies on the most efficient problem solving techniques and exposed them to real application situations where they can reflect on the importance of these techniques. The event that celebrated the fulfillment of the 12 training sessions was signed off with the participants shouting, “We can solve our problems now because we know how to, Thanks UNFPA and Thanks LOST”.

Training Commences

“Education and Life Skills education for Syrian refugees and Lebanese adolescent” project has commenced its TOT training stage. The training, which was directed to all trainers and staff, took off on Saturday the 21st of June, 2014 in LOST’s main headquarters in Baalbeck. Over 55 trainers and staff members attended this two part training. The eagerness was a very visible feature among the trainee trainers and this training acted as a means of bonding and cohesion.

The training initiated with LOST Director Dr. Ramy Lakkis explaining and introducing the recruits to all aspects of the project and establishing baselines about LOSTs vision and the relation with UNICEF’s project. After that the recruited trainers separated into 2 groups. The first group which is the life skills group formed of 40 trainers attended 2 training sessions with Dr. Lakkis onTraining and Trainer, AYFS centers, and Adolescents and Participation. The second group, the Peace Building group, formed of 15 attended 2 training sessions with Mr. Omar Bayan on Training and Trainer and Human Rights. At the end of the training all the participants dined together in Baytuna restaurant, again forming that cohesive impact. This training will be followed by 3 more similar trainings in the upcoming week which finalizes the stage of  TOT for this project.

Education and Life Skills Education for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Adolescents

LOST is proud to announce the initiation of its “Education and Life Skills Education for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Adolescents” project. The project, sponsored by UNICEF, is an innovation plan that will form a huge impact on the lives of many youth this summer. It reaches out to over 2510 youth in the area of Baalbeck - Hermel in a means designed to renovate the gap between the Lebanese local community and the Syrian refugees. The project is in its recruitment stage where the project staff are witnessing an influx of eager recruits.

The project is a complex structure that starts with training 620 Syrian youth on basic Life Skills in Informal settlements (IS).Next step is setting 12 youth clubs in Secondary Public Schools located in Baalbeck, Ein, Bednayel and Hermel and training of 240 Lebanese adolescents aged 14-18 for 3 months on conflict management, conflict transformation, and Peace education. After that, LOST will organize 10 summer camps in 10 major IS/Villages/centers, engaging 650 new young Syrian refugees and young Lebanese community members aged 14 to 18 in community needs assessment and campaigning in collaboration with Lebanese youth club members thus developing a well-defined mechanism of social cohesion. The assembled youth in the summer camps will be engaged in implementing 10 youth-led initiatives in the targeted areas in addition to involving around 2000 participants from the Syrian and Lebanese communities in Baalbeck-Hermel region in the organization of a “Run All Together for Peace” Race in Baalbeck in collaboration with youth club members and Syrian trainees from the program. Another segment of the project is promoting the access of minimum 1000 out-of-school Syrian refugees aged 10 to 18 years to non-formal education (Basic Numeracy and Literacy) and life skills education in targeted ISs/public locations. The project directs at creating a safe cohesive learning environment where coexistence and peace are the base, and education is the key.