Mouaz

Mouaz, 4 years old boy, Syrian Refugee currently living in Lebanon, is a learner in level 2 CB-ECE at CLC Ana Aqra center in Baalbek. He has three sisters and one brother; Nariman, Nour, Nada and Houthaifa. They live now in Shikan Street-in Baalbek after they fled from Syria because of the crisis. “We are new here and we don’t know anyone, I prefer my kids to stay at home and don’t socialize with strangers and other kids. I want to keep them safe” explained the mother of Mouaz to his teacher Ihsan Shamas. Mouaz fears the classroom and his peers. He refused to switch classes at the beginning of the cycle and participate in any activity. "It's really difficult at the beginning for children to catch up" admits Ihsan Shamas, Arabic teacher. “I started seeing change in Mouaz when I saw him looking at me in the eye, holding my hand and my clothes” said Ihsan. When a teacher loves her students she becomes like their mother, she can feel if they are sick and if there is anything wrong going with them. “I love my students, I'll be there for them, ready to be involved with their lives” the teacher says.

Sema

Sema is a Syrian refugee who arrived in Lebanon two weeks after the start of the school year. She was admitted to Sad Al-Bouchrieh School for Girls and enrolled in a French language class in the after school remedial program with no prior knowledge of the language.

Sema showed gradual but significant improvement in the program. After only a few short months, Sema was invited to the UNESCO celebration and wrote a descriptive story in French about her experience.