Boys play with a school book at a UNHCR’s camp for Syrian refugees in south Lebanon. Mahmoud Zayyat / AFP
Boys play with a school book at a UNHCR’s camp for Syrian refugees in south Lebanon. Mahmoud Zayyat / AFP

Spreading hope through education among Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon



As the Syrian conflict continues, many families make the risk-laden journey to one of Syria’s neighbouring countries. The UNHCR estimates that more than five million families have fled Syria in search of peace and stability. Lebanon is one of the countries that continues to witness a massive influx of refugees. These refugees are scattered all over the country.

In an effort to restore hope within Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon, Dubai Cares is partnering with the International Rescue Committee to provide education opportunities for children in these communities to engage in the learning process and build their future. Students from Sheikh Fneish Integrated Teaching Systems are a prime example of the commitment that Syrian refugees are showing towards the programme. They are receiving non-formal education through the Education in Emergencies: Evidence for Action programme, funded by Dubai Cares.

Before the programme began, students and the community had a largely indifferent attitude towards education as it was not a priority for parents. Since the start of the programme, this attitude has been shifting.

Changing the attitude of the students themselves along with the community is one of the primary goals of the programme. Maher Mohamad Al Moussa, a nine-year-old student is a real-life example of how successful the programme has been.

Maher came to Lebanon from Syria four years ago. Prior to the non-formal education classes, he had no opportunity to go to school in either Syria or Lebanon.At the start of the programme, Maher was not using his full potential and was performing far below his academic level. His parents showed little interest in education, and his behaviour in class was often disruptive.

After a year, Maher's attitude towards learning and his behaviour in the classroom improved significantly. His academic levels improved, and this year Maher finally enrolled formally in the education programme in Lebanese public schools. He is now a Grade 2 student in Al Rawda Public School. Meanwhile, in the non-formal education schools he has become a "homework support" student who helps other children, and his overall attitude is incredibly helpful to his teachers and other pupils. Maher says, "My dream is to help other Syrian children access education like I did."

Maher’s remedial tutor, Tahani Abbas, says that “Maher is always respectful in the classroom, one of the best motivated students, and shows self-preparation and improvement in his lessons and all subjects involved in the remedial programme.”

Maher is very happy to be named one of the best pupils, and had his picture captured on Snapchat for being one of those who had improved the most. His father concludes by saying, "Maher and his brother Adnan are leaders of a new generation of Syrian refugees who can spread hope to children all over the world."

PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League 
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals

2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25  

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The%20specs
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The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

MATCH INFO

Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match is on BeIN Sports

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

WandaVision

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Rating: Four stars

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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Company%C2%A0profile
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