Learning happens in Crisis. Eurydice Eve speaks with Richard Verity, Co-Founder, along with Meike Zeirvogel, of the Alsama Project which is based in the refugee camps in Lebanon and runs the four Alsama Schools, providing innovative education for refugee teenagers, primarily from Syria, in Beirut’s Shatila and Bourj al-Barajneh camps. These schools condense 12 years of education into six, focusing on literacy, numeracy, and life skills through a tailored curriculum. They also integrate activities like yoga and cricket for holistic development. The students, most of whom lacked any access to education due to displacement and cultural barriers, benefit from these programs that aim to empower them for higher studies or employment. Alsama supports students who have missed years of education by offering a condensed curriculum that compresses 12 years of learning into six. Students are grouped by ability rather than age. The curriculum focuses on Arabic, English, and Math, alongside life skills and activities like yoga and cricket. This innovative approach helps refugee teenagers overcome illiteracy and prepares them for higher education, global citizenship and potential leadership roles back home. Alsama addresses barriers such as lack of documentation and combats challenges like child marriage through psycho-social support and community outreach. Alsama supports students in developing life skills through a holistic approach that integrates serious practical education and personal growth. Students engage in teamwork, communication, planning, financial literacy, time management lessons alongside academic subjects like Arabic, English, and Math. Activities such as critical thinking exercises and leadership training through cricket further enhance these skills. Alsama uses project-based learning to teach them how to solve real-life problems, such as budgeting or sustainable energy solutions, fostering adaptability and problem-solving abilities essential for the 21st-century workforce. Alsama integrates sports, particularly cricket, into its educational curriculum to foster teamwork, leadership, and physical training. Cricket is chosen as it is a non-contact sport that allows boys and girls to play together, promoting inclusivity and collaboration. The program emphasizes values like commitment and ambition while teaching communication, planning, and resilience. Beyond physical activity, cricket serves as a platform for empowerment and leadership development, helping students build confidence and transferable skills for their future.

CORRECTION: “In this podcast, Richard describes the work of Alsama as running schools in refugee camps. For clarity these “schools” are informal education centres approved by the Lebanese government, but are different from the formal schools run by the state.”

For more, go to www.alsamaproject.com where you can donate to the project.

For more on Eurydice’s work, go to https://Eurydice.net or https://SpeakwithEve.com or https://youtube.com/@EveEurydice or https://Eurydice.substack.com. @EurydiceEve

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