Be Barja Lebanon - Better Education for a Better life

The Project

The project aims to support the education of girls aged 3 to 15 through financing:

• Education: two teachers (nursery and primary).
• School equipment (printer maintenance, ink and paper).
• First aid medical products.
• Electricity subscription.
• Food supplies: grocery store-canteen.
• Development of an educational and sports games room for children.

Our goal is to help the school enable the continuity of schooling for girls aged 3 to 10 by financing the hiring of two teachers (nursery and primary), to install a suitable playroom for them (carpeted floor, shelves, board games, indoor slide, fun games, books, coloured pencils, etc.) which is currently non-existent. However, the educational games room will be built in a second phase or only if the budget allows it.

At the same time, we also want to provide sanitary napkins and painkillers for schoolgirls in order to avoid absenteeism; for the whole school, provide the first aid kit.

In addition, it is essential to point out that subsidizing morning snacks would allow girls to work in better conditions.

We will ensure the positive effect of Soroptimist’s help on the quality of school life of children.

Finally, we draw attention to the autonomy of teachers, creation of two jobs, which also meets the values of Soroptimist.

Please note that there is no other help from other organizations.

Soroptimist’s help will allow:

• Help young girls access a complete French-speaking education.
• Ensure sufficient snacks for the girls.
• The hiring of two teachers and therefore allow women to have autonomy and a decent life.
• Ensure the annual equipment of the school by helping with the maintenance of the printer and the supply of ink and paper.
• Access for young girls to hygienic products.
• Provide first aid kits.

Context

The Barja Girls’ School is a public school with limited resources. It is located south of Beirut (34km) in Lebanon, in the Chouff region, where 143 girls attend school. There are classes in three cycles: nursery, primary and secondary (college), hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. In Lebanon, in public schools, two official languages are taught: Arabic and French.

With the crisis, state resources are almost non-existent, and schools are struggling to survive. French courses are necessary to have a complete education and reach a level allowing students to have equal opportunities for quality education. French is a language of opportunity, whether for access to higher education, employment, or the opportunity for a rewarding skill. The state is no longer hiring and no longer providing the necessary funding, which endangers nursery and primary school classes with the risk of young girls dropping out of school. In addition, given the enormous devaluation of the Lebanese pound (more than 100%), parents are no longer able to cover the shortage needed to purchase breakfast, and children can no longer have a suitable diet.

The purpose of the aid is to provide the remaining amount to be paid for the school year. Concerning electricity, you should know that the Lebanese state only provides one hour to 4 hours of electricity per 24 hours, this implies a private subscription to ensure the operation of the establishment. SI Antibes-Vallauris-Sophia Antipolis-Mougins has among its members two Lebanese women who know the area very well. Salam Saaifan has his sister who is a senior education advisor, and who will be our contact on site, so it is with her that we will ensure the proper transmission of funds. Given that there is no Soroptimist club in Lebanon, it would be desirable for the funds received to be transferred to SI SI Antibes-Vallauris-Sophia Antipolis-Mougins, to then give them directly to the person with whom we are going to work; the club will then ensure the proper use of these donations in accordance with the budget presented.

Evaluation – Follow-up

Follow-up will be provided by members of SI Antibes-Vallauris-Sophia Antipolis-Mougins who will go on site to meet the teaching team and the children and check the proper use of the assistance provided (two members being Lebanese, they will be accompanied by two other members who have expressed the wish to travel to Lebanon at their own expense). In addition, due to the financial and banking situation in Lebanon, the club wishes to have the money in order to send it directly to the school.

Expected results

• Avoid school absenteeism among young girls.
• Avoid young girls dropping out of school.
• Creation of jobs for women.
• Ensure access to sustainable and stable education.
• Improve the educational environment and leisure activities for girls.

Thank you to the following Clubs/Unions: (the list will be updated in due time).