Basmeh & Zeitooneh is a refugee-led relief and development organization responding to the acute needs of displaced and host communities to help people reclaim dignity and agency over their lives.

The vast majority of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are unable to attend school due to limited access to education, socioeconomic restraints, and a variety of other challenges. However, children require an education.

Basmeh & Zeitooenh's Bekaa Learning Center currently enrolls 1,135 refugee children from across the Bekaa Valley and provides them with quality education programs and a safe place to express themselves and grow to their full potential. We aim to serve refugee children in a safe and inclusive learning environment where their well-being is of utmost importance. To this end, our education program is structured to provide:

- Early Childhood Education: Our ECE program targets out of school Syrian refugee children aged between 4 and 6. It follows the Lebanese Ministry of Education & Higher Education curriculum.

- Basic Lliteracy & Numeracy: The main objective of the BLN program is to provide out-of-school children with the tools that will allow them to enter formal schools. BLN program consists of four subjects through three cycles: Arabic, English, Math & Life skills.

- Remedial & Learning Support: Our Learning Support department has from Grade 1 till Grade 6 where we teach 4 main subjects: Arabic, English, Math and Science and an extracurricular activity: Music.

We help by removing obstacles to education access by providing transportation and stationery to every child enrolled in our center, in addition to cash for education when needed.

We adopt a nonviolent education approach that focuses on the development of social, emotional, and intellectual skills, and we use a variety of teaching methodologies to achieve these goals. Furthermore, we place an emphasis on enabling children to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and music. This allows them to explore their interests, develop new skills, form friendships, and build self-confidence. Our goal is to help students reach their full potential by promoting independence and responsible decision making through education.

What you can do

Donations will go directly towards supporting the education needs of refugee children in the Bekaa Valley. The funds raised will be used to ensure the continuation of B&Z education program in Bekaa. This funds raised will cover educational materials, stationery, transportation, instruction, heating, electricity generator, and operational costs.

$25 can cover stationery for one child for one year.

$50 can cover the transportation costs for one child for two months.

$250 can cover the cost of IT equipment for one class for one year.

$500 can cover heating for one classroom for one year.

$600 can cover the operational costs for one month.

If you cant make a donation, please share this campaign with your friends and family. Every contribution counts.

This #GivingSeason you can help by supporting children's education in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon.

You can help by supporting children's education in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. The money will be used to support projects that provide educational opportunities for refugee children, and a safe space for them to learn and grow.

The Bekaa Valley

The Bekaa Valley is one of the most densely populated areas in Lebanon; according to the UNHCR, as of 2020, the total number of registered Syrian refugees in Bekaa stood at 339,473 individuals; the area hosts the largest number of registered refugees in the country at 38.6% of the total number. Many refugees in Bekaa live in informal settlements and makeshift tents and have limited access to basic services. The living conditions are harsh, and the needs of the people are great. They have lost everything, including their homes and livelihoods, in the conflict they fled, and have faced further limitations in their access to basic services after the socio-economic crisis that hit Lebanon in 2020. Many have been displaced multiple times. Children are particularly vulnerable; they suffer from trauma, malnutrition, and lack of access to education.

Basmeh & Zeitooneh is working in the Bekaa Valley to provide basic assistance, education and psychosocial support to refugee children and their families. We want to improve children's access to education, but we need your help! This giving season, you can support our organization by donating. Your money will go towards educating refugee children who otherwise would not have access to education.