Episode 4:
Maysoun Chehab is the Regional Early Childhood Care and Development Program Coordinator at the Arab Resource Collective (ARC), a not-for-profit non-governmental organization based in Beirut, Lebanon. She has a Masters degree in Special Education with focus on learning disabilities, and a BA in Child and Family Counseling from the University of Michigan. Maysoun has coordinated ECCD projects in Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Egypt, and Yemen. Recently, she introduced a conflict resolution model program to Lebanese schools and a post-conflict community based psychosocial intervention program in Lebanon. Maysoun has also served as a Global Leader for the World Forum.
In this podcast Maysoun talks about the work she has done in ARC, especially in Lebanon after the war in 2006. After the 2006 War on Lebanon there were many young children affected. The war lasted 30 days and it was a devastating time for the country. Many families were affected during the war. 126 primary schools were totally destroyed which left families, teachers, and children in need of support.
When the war was over, Maysoun and some members of ARC went to the affected areas and implemented a Psycho Social Post Conflict. They trained parents and teachers about the range of emotional and social reactions young children would have in post conflict situations. One thing that they found to be very successful was that before targeting the children they had to target the mother, father, and the teachers. The reason for this was if adults aren't supported themselves they cannot support young children.
After listening to the podcast I wanted to know more about the children of Lebanon. I continued my research on the UNICEF website http://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/lebanon_66189.html.
More than two thirds of Palestinian refugees living in severe poverty in Lebanon, few families can afford to pay for school supplies and books. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), dropout rates among Palestinian refugee children aged 6 to 18 are high – approximately 18 per cent.
UNICEF is supporting the efforts of UNRWA to ensure access to education for all Palestinian refugee children living in Lebanon. Children who have recently arrived from the Syrian Arab Republic are among those targeted through these initiatives.
“We are committed to support UNRWA in ensuring all children access their right to education – Palestinian children in Lebanon, and now children who have fled the violence in Syria,” says UNICEF Lebanon Representative Annamaria Laurini. “Many of the Syrian children and families are sheltering in the most vulnerable and poor communities here in Lebanon, which puts additional strains on the very few resources that exist. They are in urgent need of basic support"(UNICEF, 2012).
Keli,
ReplyDeleteThis was a very informative post about the children and families of Lebanon. I see that children all over the world are experiencing such traumatic events that not only have an effect on the physically but mentally as well. While reading your post the comment that stood out to me was that it is best to reach the parents and teachers first and then the children. I totally agree with this because its the parents and the teachers that make up the support system for the children. Without parents and teachers the children would be lost and have no one to turn to. Therefore, if the parents are educated and provided with resources they can use these resources to make things better for their children and their students. I just hope that one day that every child can live in peace and enjoy what life has to offer.
Hi Keli,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post regarding poverty in poor developing countries. It was extremely informative and interesting. I have heard of Lebanon but not in the aspects of such extreme poverty. Ms. Chehab is taking marvelous steps in efforts to minimize poverty. The sad part about this is that many of the factors of poverty that the Lebanese are facing today are very similar to the factors of poverty that many Americans are facing here in American, "the land of the free". I think this is a great post and a wonderful outlet of information for those that are blind to the demographics of poverty in our world.
Keli,
ReplyDeleteWar is a devastating thing. Surface level conversations about war usually involve questions about whether the motives or right or wrong or the possible deaths of soldiers. I've never heard a discussion in either reflection on war or prior to the onset of war which factored in the impact in would have on schools . Although you mentioned that efforts were being made to ensure every child exercised their "right" to education, education in Lebanon is still not free. I really hope that some organization is able to provide a blueprint to establishing some time of public education system in this country as well as many others.