The Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training

Closing STEP Is a Start for New Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 04:27:00 +0000

Thursday, April 21, 2016, the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) arranged a closing ceremony of its Dutch-funded project, A STEP towards Municipal Elections, in Baalbeck in the presence of the Dutch ambassador, Mrs. Hester M.J. Somsen, Baalbeck-Hermel governor, Bashir Khodor, and Baalbeck-Deir Al Ahmar archbishop, Hanna Rahmeh.

The project that was designed to engage 300 women in the political life and enable them to play an active rolein the municipal elections ended up with more than 20 women running for office in May 2016 municipal elections in Baalbeck-Hermel.

In his speech, LOST’s founder, Dr. Ramy Lakkis spoke at length about the importance of women’s participation in the political life and how significant their role is. He also pointed out that training women is a key tool to bridge the gap between them and the public life. He said, “STEP hasn’t only paved the way for women to participate in the municipal elections, but it has also made them interested in the public life.” He added, “What distinguishes the women’s participation is being unconnected to the political, tribal, religious, or sectarian considerations. When are proud of them.”

The ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mrs. Somsen, pointed at several factors, including the cultural milieu, that hinder the women’s contribution tothe political life. At the same time, she underscored the role of women in imposing their presence in the public life. She praised the participants’ courage and thanked LOST for taking the initiative to conduct such projects in Baalbeck-Hermel region.

LOST, hand in hand with its partners, implements all potentials to capacitate women in Baalbeck-Hermel to be active participants in the public life. STEP is a brilliant success, and it’s only the beginning.

From Waste to Resource: The Swiss Experience in Lebanon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 08:06:00 +0000

“From Waste to Resource” is a missing equation in Baalbeck–Hermel district about which the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) held a seminar in Baalbeck. Sébastien Bockel, a Swiss consultant in waste management, gave a set of lectures to LOST staff, municipal members, and representatives from all over the region about waste management and environmental issues.

The lectures aim at capacity building in Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) sector, enhancing the key role of the Liaison and Development Office (LDO) created by LOST for the purpose of engaging municipalities in the development of its infrastructure, and thus empowering its descion making in projects and investments.

Since all municipalities in Baalbeck–Hermel dump waste unknowing its effects on the long term, it is important to notify that the cost of inappropriate waste management is much higher and pretty complicated compared to the cost of recycling and appropriate management. Mr. Bockel emphasized the importance of recycling due to its direct influence on economy, health, and preservation of limited resources.

The environmental engineer alerted about the greenhouse gas effect resulting from the current landfills in our area. He advised the attendants to adopt certain recycling and sorting methods not only to benefit the environment, but also to provide job opportunities. Recycling, according to Bockel, leads to an organized, managed, and controlled process on the waste management procedures and actions.

How is the Swiss model relevant in Lebanon?

In the second day of the seminar, in which municipality mayors and members were attending , the Swiss expert gave a full demonstration on the types of waste, importance of sorting, and recycling effects. “Switzerland and Lebanon are two countries with many similarities,” he said. “Both are small-sized countries, with no specific underground resources, and they have been historically lands of immigration with cosmopolitan populations form all cultures and religions,” he added.

He spoke at length on how we can turn waste to resources just from the idea of sorting waste like recyclabes and then selling to industries.

How can municipalities help?

Mr. Bockel emphasized the key role of the municipalities as a driving force in the process because they will have the chance to receive financial support from donors, develop a better infrastructure of waste management, and prevent the upscaling of the current landfills in the region.

The municipalities welcomed the idea and proposed to launch awarness campaigns on the importance of sorting from the source, in which the residents have major influence in the process.

LOST’s founder, Dr. Ramy Lakkis, emphasized that any action, major or minor, has to be issued from the municipalities. “The Swiss union of municapalities is ready to help, and there is a project in this regard,” he said. What is pending is finalizing the procedures and the municipalities’ preparations to adapt to the recycling program.

LOST, via its LDO, is working hard with its Swiss partners to establish a new developmental network that puts the local efforts together with the the international opportunities for the sake of a peaceful and stable society.

LOST and its Dutch Partners: Steps toward Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 07:29:00 +0000

Wednesday, April 12, 2016, the Lebanese Organizationfor Studies and Training (LOST) had a Dutchdelegation in its center in Bedneyel in the context of “Networks of Peace” project. The meeting was achance for the delegation to know more about LOST and to learn about Baalbeck-Hermel’s challenges raised by the project’s Volunteer Mobilization Committees (VMCs).

The gathering paved the way for the Dutch delegation to be informed about LOST and its approaches via apresentation conducted by LOST’s founder, Dr. RamyLakkis. He explained the organization’s abilities at the level of needs’ assessment and networking people together to convert challenges into chances.

It was also an opportunity for the Dutch delegation to have a profound discussion with the VMCs who came from Bedneyel, Baalbeck, Hermel, Ain, Chmestar, and Deir El Ahmar about the key challenges in Baalbeck-Hermel region.

In an area that is overloaded with developmental, financial, and political challenges, it is of paramountimportance for LOST to make a breakthrough in thisstatus quo. LOST, with the support of its partners,addresses people’s needs and links them up for a common understanding of solutions, and hence a more stable community.

Empowering Women To Lead Meet in Deir El Ahmar for the First-Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 07:29:00 +0000

A conference seminar was held Tuesday April 12th at Sayedet el Burj church in Deir el Ahmar addressing the role of women in society. This conference, presented by the founder of the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training(LOST) Dr. Ramy Lakkis, for Empowering Women to Lead project, funded by GIZ, attracted lots of attention from men and women from all over the region.

Around a total of 300 people attended, including community activists, stakeholders from Buday, Yamouniand Iaat, representatives from different political parties, as well as members of Deir el Ahmar Club and LOST.

The archbishop of the church, Hanna Rahme welcomed everyone and took his place in the audience to listen to the lecture.

Ramy Lakiss emphasized the goal of this initiative is to impact the community in such a way to start a chain reaction in the developmental mind-set. One of the most obvious telltales that development has begun is the fact that both Muslims and Christians gathered peacefully under the roof of a church for the sole purpose of enlightenment. He said, "Change starts from within; each individual has the ability to change and it can start on a personal level or household level".

"To participate is to be a part of decision making, it is the meaning of our citizenship and our duty to our community. After joining this project, I finally understood that gender roles shouldn’t define us because I have a responsibility to my country like any other man," said participant Hind NaserEldeen, 40, from Hermel.

LOST through enabling women to be part of the community is working in its goal for gender equality, peace building and development. Having an understanding, an education or a set of skills in life is liberating. Freedom from societal constraints is what LOST seeks in order to give the people a dignified life.

Moayad had the Will; LOST paved the Way

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:57:00 +0000

Moayad Dersany (16 years old) is one of millions of Syrian youth who, because of the Cross-the-Country Crisis, have been displaced from their social environments and everyday life to be left for their own destiny. Moayad and his family roamed over Lebanon 2 years ago and shifted houses across Lebanon until they settled to Baalbeck. Being ambitious and smart, neither Moayad nor his supportive mom missed the chances to have him back at school. So he attended a local school where he resumed studying. Unfortunately, Moayad got himself expelled shortly afterwards due to a misunderstanding with a teacher. While out of school Moayad's interest in going back to school drastically declined as he helped his father; the tractor mechanic, in his job. It seemed that his ambition of becoming a mechanical engineer one day was a farfetched fantasy. Even worse Moayad lost motivation and became a dark shade of the onetime cheerful young man he was.

In February 2016 Moayad met Eva Debs, a supervisor in the “Learning and Skills Program for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Youth” project, implemented by the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) in partnership with UNICEF. He was less likely to join the training as he did not really contemplate any education or training form, but Eva had multiple dialogues and discussions with him and eventually got him to join. On March 15th classes started, Moayad was truly committed and attended trainings daily, he took an Individual and social skill course. Over the course of the next few days Moayad, the usually shy isolated kid started to blossom and connect with his peers, he began to display great understanding of the skills he acquired, and looked the part in energizing his peers. The next thing we knew, Moayad comes up to Eva and announces that he intends to go back to school!

"I have set my mind back to finishing my education" Moayad stated. “I was willing to postpone my studies, but now I am more focused and willing to study until I become the mechanical engineer of my dreams” he added. Moayad’s relationship with his peers improved, he made new friends, and his communication with his parents is better as well. He stated that if they remain in Lebanon for next year, he would definitely join any capacity building training, LOST will offer and invite his friends as well. Perhaps the most inspiring thing he said was: “At the beginning I loved to come to the training just to fill up my spare time and meet new friends, but now I am a more focused, energized person that has a goal”.

LOST and UNICEF always seek to have this impact on an adolescents life and destiny, to keep the instinct and hunger of learning alive in all youth and children worldwide, because all children deserve to get an education, to dream big, to fulfill their ambitions and to have someone guiding them through.

Early Blossoming of the EWL: Ludi Runs For Office

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 20:16:00 +0000

“Political life used to be a matter of fantasy for me; but not anymore. I’m going to run for the municipal elections in May 2016", this is how Ludi Habshi, a 27-year-old participant from Deir Al Ahmar in Empowering Women to Lead (EWL) project,recapped her seven-month experience.

The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST), in cooperation with Gesellschaft für InternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) combined to create the Empowering Women to Lead (EWL) project, that aims to engage 120 women from across Baalbeck-Hermel area in the political life and brings them together under the EWL program.

The project that included trainings on women’s rights, leadership, civic activism, local development, municipality law, and needs’ analysis was a good chance to raise the participants’ awareness about political participation. Moreover, its richness inpoliticalizing activities like meeting Mukhtars and municipality members helps increase women’s overall political participation and presence in the any future elections.

Subsequently, the participants started to break the traditional image of women’s absence in the political life. Moreover, their self-esteem was enhanced and their ability to be active in new fields of life was proved. The project has also secured room for the women to meet and share expertise as they come from different villages and backgrounds.

EWL that was designed to target 120 women was able to inspire more than 135 pioneer women in several occasions.

Surprisingly, EWL blossomed as early as seven months of its start. “The program was very useful for me. It was my first time participating in such project,” said Ludi Habshi, one of the participants. “I decided to run for the May 2016 municipal elections,” she added. “Today, I am working on my electoralprogram, and I’m receiving all sorts of technical support from LOST and my colleagues.” Ludi said, “My participation in EWL was a turning point in my life. It was only seven months that made me discover my political ability's.”

It is true that Ludi is the first ripe fruit of EWL, but it will not be the last. As long as LOST and GIZ are energizing women and backing them up, only future can tell how Ludi’s experience is going to be emulated by other women.

Big Thank You to LANA Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 19:56:00 +0000

In appreciation of the success of distributing food supplies, the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) arranged a thank-you event for LANA (Labweh, Ain, NabiOthman, and Arsal) staff on March 31, 2016 in LOST’s center in Ain village.

The program director of “Nehna Ahl” project gave a speech in which he expressed his gratitude to the team and how dedicated they were in carrying out the campaign. He shed light on the atmosphere of harmony and cooperation that encompassed each and every step in the work. It was also a chance to show appreciation for the effort paid by LANA women who had been packing the food supplies for days and days.

More than 200 attendants, including activists, municipality members, and school principals expressed their support to the project which, according to them, is a pillar in defusing tensions in LANA area.

The various projects and campaigns conducted by LOST cement in minds the idea that peace building in areas like LANA is more than possible; when there is will there is way.

UNICEF Youth Innovation Lab Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 21:45:00 +0000

Originating from a profound understanding of what beneficiaries need to successfully employ the skills learned through the “Learning and Skills Programs for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Youth” program, which UNICEF and LOST are partners in, UNICEF has brought together partners, entrepreneurs, IT technicians, and web design experts on to launch anextraordinary Youth Innovation Lab workshop.

As a follow up on this workshop, The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) invited the Director of Partnerships at FACTORY X, Ms. Eun-Joung Lee, to deliver a workshop in Baalbeck on startups on Thursday, March 24th, 2016. The workshop included 30 participants among whom were LOST staff. Ms. Lee explained the “Rapid Prototyping Methodology” in which a prototype for any innovation may be done with simple tools during a short period of time.

The workshop helps beneficiaries learn how to find solutions for sudden problems and make adjustments to suite clients’ demands. It is a way of learning not through discussion or debate but through testing products and receiving feedback from customers. The whole aim behind the workshop is to learn how toeffectively and innovatively put vocational and social entrepreneurship skills together.

This workshop aims to help people who acquire vocational skills open their own business and be creative in marketing their products. This goal is achieved via merging the acquired Vocational Orientation Skills with Social Entrepreneurship Skills.

Center, Stage, Action! "Better Together Now" Comes to an End

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 21:43:00 +0000

Search For Common Ground (SFCG) and The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) celebrate their final event in their Better Together Now project that started two years ago. On Saturday, March 26th, 450 people from all over Baalbek-Hermel gathered in Tamooz Hall in Baalbek to view a showcase prepared by the youth participants.

The showcase included several play sketches, a short movie and more. In this project, Syrian Youth and Lebanese Youth interacted with each other on a daily basis, bonding and sharing experiences to help ease tensions between the two groups. Through art and music activities the youth were able to put nationality aside and cooperate together peacefully.

The youth had acted, filmed and produced the short movie they screened during the event. In this movie the story line was about a refugee and his daughter and their struggle to live. The daughter helped her father make money since her father was out of work and the lesson is allowing young ladies to work.

For their theatre performance, the youth reenacted experiences that really happened to them. The goal of these sketches is for the audience to feel and relate to the judgmental cruelty that is happening in everyday life for Syrian and Lebanese youth.

LOST through implementing peace building and social cohesion techniques in projects, wants to reach their goal of social unity and peace.

LOST and UNICEF; A Valuable Partnership

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 17:33:00 +0000

Disastrous effects of the Syrian crisis, which have shed massive burdens on the psychological and physiological state of both Lebanese and Syrian communities, pulled worldwide attention towards attempts to improve their health care and socio-economic conditions and provide them with urgent humanitarian aid. As a result, UNICEF and the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Trainings(LOST) joined efforts in a promising collaboration which aims to reach the determined goals and provide peace building, tension-free environments.

For this purpose a UNICEF delegation representingUK Natcom was hosted by LOST at its headquarters in Baalbeck on Monday March 21st 2016. The delegation attended a briefing on LOST’s mission, vision and interventions of 2014-2017 as well as LOST center different sections and branches in Northern Beqaa area. The delegation were also informed about LOST’s partnership with UNICEF in the “Learning and Skills Programs for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Youth” project, which will eventually enhance principals of social cohesion and peace education.

Enthusiasm for the project was prevailed through a series of inquiries and clarifications that were related to common coordination and the importance of cooperation between LOST and UNICEF, Vocational orientation and Peace education (a training which is exclusive at LOST to be further spread). The discussion also included details related to linking social cohesion to local development which is implemented through Youth Led Initiatives. Some of the most important concerns of UNICEF were to what extent can LOST help beneficiaries with tutors abroad, beneficiaries who might be employed by foreign companies, and asked whether LOST has prepared programs for decently educated Syrian refugees with college certificates.

The meeting was an expertise enriching opportunity for LOST and UNICEF, which will reinforce partnership,expand the scope of future collaborations and hopefully spread new strategies to properly deal with similar crisis situations worldwide and cement peace building paths.

EWL Women Pay Tribute to Dar-Al-Ajaza’s Elderly

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 22:38:00 +0000

With the beginning of spring, “Empowering Women to Lead” project conducted by the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) has blossomed and resulted in a visit to Dar-Al-Ajaza center in Chlifa. On the 22nd of March, 2016, a group of EWL participants visited some elderly in the center as a part of their interest in public affairs.

The women who have been participating in EWLproject for two and a half months were convinced of the importance of their role in society and how they can change it positively. They showed uncanny eagerness to manage some public events in their region, so a group of participants who live in Chaatvillage decided to say hello to some elderly in Chlifa’s Dar-Al-Ajaza center as a sign of social care and interest.

The women took matters into their own hands wanting to arrange a party for the elderly as a notion of good will. They organized cake and juice to please the senior residents of Dar-Al-Ajaza and celebrate holy Easter. Everyone was content, and a sense of joy permeated throughout.

LOST’s project, EWL, left an impact on the participants, and this impact led to the achievement of the women taking initiative and playing an active role in the public life.

The Swiss Ambassador in LOST Premises: A Good-for-All Partnership

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 18:04:00 +0000

March 19, 2016, the Swiss ambassador François Barrasvisited two premises of the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) in Baalbeck and Al Einto discuss LDO affairs and to witness first hand LOST’s versatile projects with OTI, “People to People.”

Mr. Barras’ activity in Baalbeck was focused on establishing the Liaison and Development Office (LDO) in partnership with LOST. The ambassador’s meeting with LOST’s founder, Dr. Ramy Lakkis,delved into all potential opportunities of cooperation to propel the LDO and to mount a stronger response to the municipalities’ increasing needs in the region.

In Al Ein, the ambassador viewed some preparations for LOST’s “People to People” project. He was delighted to see the social cohesion resulting from the project in which women from Labweh, Al Ein, NabiOthman, and Arsal were working together and packing food supplies to be distributed in the four villages.

LOST’s visitors noticed its projects’ palpable impact in lessening tensions and accelerating social cohesion between the constituents of the community in Baalbeck-Hermel region.

What was LANA doing in Jar Al Amar Restaurant in Hermel?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 21:39:00 +0000

A group of youth from Labweh, Arsal, Nabi Othman, and Arsal(LANA) was invited to a dinner arranged by the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) on March 15, 2016 in Jar Al Amar restaurant in Hermel. It was a preparatory step for “People to People” project that LOST is going to launch in the few coming days. The OTI-funded project promotes social coexistence and lessens tensions among the inhabitants of the four included villages.

Each of the projects’ six groups delegated three participants to the event in order to found and propel a common ground of discussion and common work for the project.

This event that was primarily organized as an ice-breaking activity turned to be an opportunity for LANA youth to delve into mutual regional affairs. The attendants were gravitated that they spent a lot of time discussing daily issues of each other’s villages and suggesting solutions that may enhance working onthe common benefits and mutual interests of the region. They showed exceptional alacrity to work together in “People to People” project as a possible means of endearing LANA people to each other. The participants ended up taking selfies and exchanging phone numbers and emails to improve all chances of future contact and cooperation.

People to People is one of LOST’s versatile peace building projects that promote comity and coexistence in a society where tensions are simmering. LOST is at heart of drive to transform LANA region into a peaceful community where social harmony and cooperation dominates.

Forty Sheep and Forty Lamb found a new home with a Needy Family

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 09:11:00 +0000

The Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training distribute sheep to needy families in Baalbek, Bednayel, Hawsh el Rafqa and Hermel. The sheep distribution is part of LOST's partnership with Mennonite Central Committee in an initiative called Food Security for Vulnerable Families.

A total of forty families, ten from each area mentioned above, received a sheep and a lamb since the sheep were all new to motherhood. Twenty of the forty families are new beneficiaries and were selected based on criteria set to measure their vulnerability and the other twenty families are prior beneficiaries that have been reselected based on their progress with the project. The twenty reselected families attended all the trainings during their time as participants and took exceptional care of the livestock.
LOST through is initiative is empowering the needy Lebanese families by giving them the ability to support their families while keeping their dignity intact.

Mukhtars of Baalbek Empower Women to Stay Steady with their Goals of Political Activism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 09:08:00 +0000

March 11th, 2016, women participants participating with the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in a project entitled "Promoting Women's Role in Political Participation in Baalbek" meet with three mukhtars of Baalbek to discuss their goals and obstacles in LOST center.
Being a patriarchal society, one of the major obstacles facing women here is the amount of rejection they encounter if they give their opinion in political matters. Baalbek municipality doesn’t have a single women holding office or running for council. The women met with the delegation of mukhtars to convince them that this problem is real and something needs to be done about it.
The women explained to the delegation that the obstacles and recommendations emerged from a conference held on the 29th of December in Baalbek. This conference was attended by many key figures in society including but not limited to Governor of Baalbek-Hermel Bashir Khodr, former Minister Wafaa el Dika Hamze, General Security Major, Ghayes Zaiter, and Pastor of the Greek Melkite Catholic Archbishop, Elias Rahhal.
The participants said that in order to empower more women to become active in society and make a change in the city, the municipal council should be encouraging women to take part in the decision-making process.
The mukhtars supported the women in their efforts to make a change and offered their full-pledged allegiance to work along-side of them in order to reach their goals.

LOST and VNGI Exchanging Information to benefit Baalbek-Hermel Region

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 22:43:00 +0000

The International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNGI) and Representatives from UNDP gathered in the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) center in Baalbek to discuss the recent addition of the Liaison And Development Office (LDO). The LDO is an internal structure in LOST created recently to support local authorities.

The groups met with Dr. Rami Lakkis the founder of LOST and exchanged information on the local scene; what is going on in Baalbek-Hermel Region in relation the Syrian Crisis. They glossed over the local economic development of the region, how to improve municipal services and local governance.

The LDO takes on the responsibility of linking municipalities with international donors. In order to make services available for the resident's municipalities need to be aware of their needs. The LDO will give municipalities the tools needed to assess the needs of their respective communities and create a bond between citizen and local authority.

LOST's Inter-Webbing Office for Developing the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 22:41:00 +0000

Founder of LOST, Dr. Ramy Lakkis and The Ambassador of Switzerland, Mr. Francois Barras signed the Liaison and Development Office (LDO) agreement on March 8th, 2016.

This office is made to capacitate municipal council members and staff with knowledge and skills needed to respond to community needs. LOST through opening the LDO aims to enhance public services to the constituents of the Baalbek-Hermel region. Thanks to the Swiss Embassy in Lebanon, LOST has the resources to promote good governance between local authority, mainly municipalities, and the residents.

Representatives from the LDO will reach out to other organizations, both local and international, to encourage transparent communication in order to bring positive results to this impoverished region.

LOST is enriching this region via systematic webbing of all components of society including the municipalities' responsibility towards their citizens, as well as organizations' humanitarian responsibility towards rightful utilization of resources at the micro-level.

UNICEF Regional Director’s Visit of March 3rd 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 18:52:00 +0000

No matter how sufficient and accurate reports can be, nor active and reliable the work team is, in any sort of humanitarian aid project, direct contact with targeted beneficiaries and field visits is a must. For this purpose, the UNICEF Regional Director of MENA on top of a high level delegation, paid a Syrian refugee camp targeted by the Lebanese organization of Studies and Training (LOST) a visit, to ensure persistence and sustainability of project and procurement of anticipated goals.

On Thursday March 3rd ,2016 the Regional Director “Mr. Peter Salameh” accompanied by UNICEF, Lebanon Country director in addition to senior UNICEF delegation, visited Hawsh Rafika’s Syrian refugee camp (which is considered the largest camp in the area- about 107 tents), where they met Project Coordinator Mr. Assem Chraif alongside with LOST staff. The UNICEF delegation met two Syrian families separately, and later attended a focus group of Lebanese and Syrian youth targeted by LOST. These two meetings aimed to provide the RD with direct contact with the Lebanese and Syrian locals to derive out their basic needs and demands and inquire about daily problems/ issues.

The discussion with the youth, who will undertake various Life Skills and Vocational Orientation programs with LOST, was centered about common issues and differences, socio-economic challenges and responsibilities, communication and interaction, education and career ambitions as well as potential migration to new countries versus resilience and resettlement.

After the participants presented their demands, the RD “Mr. Salameh” explained the purpose of his visit and the domains which he can provide support at.

At the end of the discussion, Mr. Salameh pointed to UNICEF’s “New Direction” towards providing help and support in education, child protection, health and basic needs. He also reiterates the successful, continuous, and strategic partnership with LOST.

When Women Are Empowered to Lead

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 22:33:00 +0000

Some women in Baalbeck-Hermel are competing against the timer of the municipality elections either to elect or to be candidates. As they have plethora of questions on how to make their dreams come true, the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) and GIZ decided to empower them. For this reason, a senior delegation from GIZ paid a visit to LOST’s centers in Bedneyel and Baalbeck to launch a joint project entitled “Empowering Women to Lead” (EWL) in Baalbeck on February 25, 2016.

GIZ in Bedneyel

The delegation, together with LOST’s founder, Dr. Rami Lakkis, conducted a meeting with some activists, municipality members, and mayors from the region at LOST premises in Bedneyel. The discussion was centered on exploring possible ways to make women part of the political life in which women can contribute to solving problems in their communities. A municipality member said, “We believe that women are better than men in multi-tasking, so we need active NGO support to elicit this dormant potential in the region.” The stakeholders extolled LOST’s role in empowering women in different aspects. One of the women said, “I have been teaching generations the importance of participating in public issues for 15 years without having any idea about the details of making this participation true. Now, with LOST’s awareness raising activities and training, I’ve got enough confidence to make a political plan and run for municipal elections.” In response, Dr. Rami Lakkis appreciated the women’s conscientiousness and expressed how proud he is of such participants whose inchoate steps can be a breakthrough in the women’s status quo in the region. The head of GIZ delegation, Sabine Gürtner, noticed the participants’ impression about LOST’s fingerprint and said, “We are proud to work with LOST to engage women in the political life. We are having a set of forthcoming projects in which we consider LOST a reliable partner to work with.”

With Baalbeck city activists

Afterwards, GIZ delegation headed toward Baalbeck to meet a group of stakeholders and key figures of the city including the Mufti and the Bishop of Baalbeck. The key pivot of the discussion was the Syrian influx and its impact on the region. The Mufti raised alarms on the lack of funding for the increasing needs of the Syrian refugees and their hosting community. He invited Germany to play an active role in this aspect “not to remain the Syrian’s dreamland to immigrate to,” according to him. The Archbishop thanked GIZ for taking Baalbeck-Hermel into consideration and demanded the delegation to establish job opportunities and be a part of the developmental process in the region. One of the mokhtars pointed at the profligate spending of the assistance for the refugees, which results in tensions among them and among the Lebanese citizens. The delegation learned more about how the Syrian influx is getting the already-vulnerable city more impoverished at different levels; infrastructure, water, electricity, and work competition, which triggers more social instability.

EWL launching ceremony

GIZ delegation joined LOST’s EWL launching ceremony in which more than 200 participants in the project, in addition to 400 more women, were present. Dr. Rami Lakkis gave a speech in which he stressed the values of LOST in the public work. He encouraged women to participate in the political life; “You are not alone; LOST is always beside you to make your presence a qualitative rather than a quantitative one.” He also pointed at how women’s grit can play an active role in dealing with the Syrian influx and its effects. “You are the ones who can lessen terms like “We” and “They” via instilling the true qualities of accepting the other in the society in your children’s minds. It’s you who can cultivate the principles of peace building and social stability in a simmering region like ours,” he said.

The governor of Baalbeck-Hermel, Bashir Khodor, had a speech in which he expressed his complete support to LOST’s projects which match “the genuine needs of the community,” according to him.

The head of GIZ delegation, Sabine Gürtner, delivered a speech to express her gratitude for the participants for their presence and efforts. She was sanguine about future chances of ongoing cooperation with LOST as a credible partner.

In some ways, it is to worry as much if not more about the possibility that empowering women remains on the back burner if LOST and GIZ aren’t present to keep their partnership ongoing to take care of the women’s needs and back them up to take lead positions in their communities. Women who are being supported by LOST and GIZ need a continuous process of empowering to reach tangible results in the future.

UNICEF/LOST: Transparency Is the Best Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 20:58:00 +0000

In scope of UNICEF and LOST’s cooperation in the “ Life Skills for Lebanese and Syrian Refugee Youth” project, which aims at decreasing tension between the Lebanese community and Syrian refugees, UNICEF delegation’s visits continue successively to cope on with the project’s progress. The latest of these visits was on Thursday February 25th, 2016 to LOST center in Baalbek, conducted by the Canadian High Donor delegation.

The delegation from Canada discussed the project’s progress with the project coordinator, Mr. Assem Chraif. Chraif thoroughly explained the project’s goals, its major achievement, funding needs, and how its implementation can lessen tension between the Lebanese society and Syrian refugees. The delegation was deeply interested in the approach and techniques LOST and its functional teams are following en route to pull the project off.

Shortly afterwards, UNICEF, Canada’s delegation attended a TOT session for coaches and supervisors to have a hands-on feedback about how the project is being carried out, to encourage the participating staff, and to better understand the project’s goals.

In concurrence with this visit, LOST and GIZ were launching a new project entitled “Empowering Women to Lead.” So UNICEF, Canada’s delegation attended the project’s initiation event so they have an idea about LOST’s versatile projects and collaboration extents.

LOST, via such visits, strengthens ties with its partners and shows its ability to handle Baalbek-Hermel region’s affairs with professionalism and expertise. This paves the way to keep its partnership ongoing with UNICEF and other organizations.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 22:01:00 +0000

In Hermel village lived the Syrian refugee Maohammad Kassem Marroosh with his pregnant wife and two children. Everything was calm and serene in his life until an electrical short circuit occurred and his house was burnt to the ground. He found no one to support him but a man who offered him a small filthy room to settle in whilst he could find an alternative place. His two children (2 years and 4 years old) and his wife were unable to be vulnerable toFebruary’s cold weather, and the family’s afflicted life started to be whispered among the villagers. It was LOST’s members who reacted effectively upon the awful situation and planned for an action plan. They contacted the stricken family and offered it a solution. The family was granted enough wood and Nylon sheets to build a brand-new tent. Tragically, the family was that short of money that it was impossible to pay for the transportation fees of thegiven weatherproofing kit. In response, LOST extended its offer by finding the means to send the wood and sheet to the specified place. Moreover, LOST members volunteered their time and energy to give a hand to Mohammad Marroosh who was not able to build his tent by himself.

With LOST’s aid, Marroosh and his family are no longer vulnerable to the nature’s fury or social insecurity. At least, they have a shelter where they can sleep peacefully!

This task lies under LOST’s mandate of providing winterization assistance and weatherproofing tools to more than 1500 vulnerable Syrian refugees and Lebanese host families in Baalbeck-Hermel region.

LOST and UNICEF’s Visit to Britel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 13:20:00 +0000

On February 22nd, 2015 the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) and a senior delegation from UNICEF visited the municipality of Britel as part of following up with the implementation of UNICEF’s joint projects with LOST that are carried out in the region. UNICEF delegation included two key UNICEF fundraisers; Irish Natcom, The One Foundation in addition to Mr. Donnacha O’Callaghan the Good Will Ambassador, Deputy Director Mr. Luciano Calestini, Youth sector Coordinator, Amal Obeid, and UNICEF's Bekaa team.
The delegation first met the Mayor of Britel, Abbass Ismail, to discuss the impact of the Syrian influx on the hosting community and the impact of LOST/UNICEF intervention in the village. The mayor asserted that the village has been affected by the Syrian influx since the beginning of the crisis; today's ratio in Britel is one Syrian to every five Lebanese. This has had an extreme effect on the infrastructure of the village and its social structure. The mayor remarked that LOST has been working along with the municipality and UNICEF’s support to mitigate the tensions caused by the increase of the refugee population. To achieve such a purpose, LOST in collaboration with the municipality of Britel recruited 30 youth participants (15 Syrian and 15 Lebanese) from the village in a 3-month program to get a set of trainings and carry-out a youth-led initiative that meets a community need. The mayor said, "An interesting part of the story is how humanitarian the project was carried out regardless of being Lebanese or Syrian."
Aside with meeting the mayor, the UNICEF delegation met the youth beneficiaries who were eager to speak about the training they have undergone on needs assessment, leadership, communication skills, and project design. The trainees highly appreciated the chance UNICEF, Lebanon and LOST offered them to implement a community project based on their assessment of the village’s needs. They thanked LOST and UNICEF, Lebanon for the chance to make a change in their community. Of note, the youth-led initiative was to renovate a football playground which was constructed earlier by LOST after the 2006 war. This community project was part of 15 other initiatives LOST in partnership with UNICEF, Lebanon is conducting across Baalbek-Hermel region in 2015 to engage youth in taking a stand and responding to community needs. In 2016, LOST and UNICEF, Lebanon are planning to implement 45 more similar initiatives in different villages in the region.
The organic partnership between LOST and UNICEF, Lebanon was discussed in light of how fruitful it is in helping vulnerable people, with manners of humanity and dignity. Assem Chraif, Project Director explained the approach adopted by LOST to mitigate tensions between refugees and the hosting community through linking social cohesion to local development. He also proclaims that engaging Lebanese and Syrian youth in the implementation of small community projects and making such initiatives visible will create a role model for other youth to follow. The UNICEF, Lebanon deputy director Luciano Calestini, replied, “I thank LOST and the municipality for their active support and cooperation. What they did qualifies to be a role-model for future design of collaboration between government, citizens, and local communities.”
LOST and UNICEF, Lebanon have a common goal to merge Syrians and Lebanese Youth in a peaceful environment, thus lessening tensions between different constituents of the society and protecting the extremely vulnerable people.

Learning and Skills Programs for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Youth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 13:19:00 +0000

February 15, 2016 the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Trainings (LOST) launched an eleven-month project entitled “Learning and Skills Programs for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Youth.” The program, which is in partnership with UNICEF, aims at facilitating the life of the Lebanese and Syrian youth, improving their life standards, effecting change on the way they interact with society, empowering them to change their lives as they desire, and building bridges of coexistence and cohesion in Baalbek region.
In the opening ceremony, Dr. Rami Lakkis, the founder of LOST, drew up the general contour of the project and specified its milieu at the local and the regional level. He asserts that “Lebanon is in the first position universally in hosting refugees with a ratio of 188 refugees (Syrian and Palestinian) for each 1000 Lebanese residents. This situation badly impacts the social structure, hinders the possibilities of development, and burdens an already overwhelmed country,” Lakkis said. This influx, which is considered a threat, could be changed into a chance if it is dealt with positively. So running such projects does not only create new chances, but it also shows a humanitarian commitment. Lakkis said, “Giving a hand to needy people shows that we are transforming our humanitarian principles to actual deeds.”
Another key merit of this project is promoting good governance in a society that is widely ignorant of this concept. “We want to empower people and train them on good governance to support the government institutions and promote a culture of productivity and peace. The more the people participate actively and properly in their communities, the more the government responds to their demands,” Lakkis proclaimed. So training is a bridge toward good governance and a cohesive society.

This project is considered to be amongst the most geographically spread out projects with a capacity of 57 training hubs distributed over 9 areas; Baalbek, Hermel, Ein, Chaat, Deir Ahmar, Ersal, Boday, Chmustar, Bednayel. The huge number of beneficiaries, 15.150, shows that LOST is determined to help its community. Time wise, the project is divided into three cycles and each cycle lasts for three and a half months.
The project includes the following programs: learning functional literacy and numeracy (CST), competency based skills training (CBS), individual and social skills training (ISST), and peace education workshops (PEW). Then the project gives the participants the chance to contribute to their community issues via youth-led initiatives (YLI) which are funded by the project. At the end of the project, a marathon entitled “Pace for Peace Marathon (PPM)” will be organized to voice the program’s values of coexistence, social cohesion, and peace building all over Baalbeck.
The initiation phase of the project includes several steps. The first step is recruiting and setting up Work Hubs (teaching centers). Then, the participants will fill in a life skills CV; the life skills CV is a document that states what skills each beneficiary already has and which ones he/she aspires to acquire. For trainers, a set of TOT workshops will be conducted during the first month to make everyone well aware about his/her tasks and how to carry them out properly. After all preparations are completed, the teaching will commence in the beginning of March, 2016.
LOST’s strategic partnership with UNICEF is resulting in empowering thousands of Lebanese youth and Syrian refugees via sharpening their cognitive, individual, instrumental, and social abilities. It will also reduce tension and promote better relations between Lebanese citizens and the Syrain community for a more peaceful and stabilized country.

People to People

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 13:17:00 +0000

The Lebanese Organization of Studies and Trainings (LOST) has partnered once again with OTI/USAID in a five-month peace-building initiative entitled “People to People”. This initiative joins Ersal and the surrounding villages to reduce tensions and enhance the communication between them.
Sixty youth participants have been chosen from the four villages as follows: 30 from Ersal, 10 from Labweh, 10 from Ain, and 10 from Nabi Othman. The trainings address several topics, among of which are leadership, conflict transformation, and reconciliation. These trainings are intended to reflect the concept of forgiveness between the historically conflicted areas and promote a culture of peace.

Progressing in the project the participants will engage in a series of mutual charity campaigns among the chosen villages. Participants from Ersal will collect donations and distribute them in Labweh, Ain, and Nabi Othman. Reciprocally, the groups of the other three villages distribute their villages’ donations in Ersal. The donations include clothing and other usable items. “People to People” initiative is projected to conclude the 31st of May of 2016.
LOST's “People to People” campaign aims to lessen the effects of religious and political tensions in Northern Bekaa especially that of the village of Ersal. LOST's mission is to address the humanitarian demands in the four villages and elicit local solutions that amplifies the qualities of compassion and coexistence.

Empowering Women to Lead

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 13:15:00 +0000

The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) joins women in Baalbek region in terms of empowering them to take lead positions in their community. The project entitled “Empowering Women to Lead” was kicked-off in November 2015 and will end in January of 2017. The 15-month initiative covers six villages: Hermel, Labweh, Chaat, Deir Al Ahmar, Chmistar, and Tamnin Al Fawqaa.

In each village, twenty female participants within the age group of 22 and older have signed up to be part of this empowering three-stage project. The first stage has commenced as of December 2015 with trainings that will continue for the next four months. The topics of trainings include women's rights, leadership, civic activism, local development, municipality law, and needs analysis. In the second stage, the participating women are asked to prepare and present 3 lectures about waste management, local development, and social protection. In the third stage, the trainees will analyze the needs of the individual villages in order to implement small community projects that will benefit the villages. They, as women, will make a difference in their respective communities by utilizing methods of the theoretical and practical training and putting them into effect.

LOST’s “Empowering Women to Lead” triggers the potential energy of women, transforms it, refines their leadership skills and promotes them to take part in decision making in order to strengthen and develop their communities.