The learning at Safe Spaces continues, even in these difficult times! Our educators have designed a continuous exchange of worksheets between themselves and the students. Students then take turns coming to the school to review their work and get any further instruction they need.
The students have been thrilled to reconnect with teachers and receive feedback on their work! The worksheets offer them a concrete way to continue to learn and stay engaged. Thanks to the success of the worksheets, we plan to continue this program as long as needed.

In addition, Safe Spaces continues to offer support through grocery delivery. Our team made sure that our families at the Naddaf shelter received groceries in time for Ramadan, so that everyone would have a full table in this holy month.

While we can’t proceed with our education program as usual, our educators have been working to find creative ways to keep our students engaged and learning. The teachers have designed a continuous exchange of worksheets between the students and them to stay on track. The teachers prepared and printed these worksheets including exercises and texts, and distributed them as of Monday to their students in the center. The teachers then formed groups of two to alternate daily visits to the shelter, and assist and supervise the students with their work.

The teachers were pleasantly surprised that students had their worksheets almost complete even before the first visit. The students, excited about getting back to learning, were thrilled to reconnect with teachers and receive feedback on their work. We are thrilled at the success of this short term solution and plans are underway for them to continue. Every week, the teachers will distribute new worksheets, and continue to visit students in the shelter, while of course taking all measures reinforced and encouraged by the ministry of health about necessary social exposure.

Additionally, the Safe Spaces team continues to offer support to our families through grocery delivery. A new batch of nutrition boxes has been prepared and distributed by the Safe Spaces team. Mr. Ghaleb el Charif made sure that this process was finalized before the beginning of Ramadan, and that all families at the Naddaf shelter have a full table in this holy month. With our continued collective efforts, we can create ways to alleviate difficulties and offer support, both general and academic, to our Safe Spaces families. Ramadan Mubarak!

“Martial law in Lebanon has been put in place and people are thankfully respectful of the new laws enforced to ensure everybody’s safety. Henceforth we have been more successful in our path to flatten the curve. However, the situation is still risky & so we are still in quarantine. We have a curfew and rules to limit the movement.

Safe Spaces Lebanon has been staying alert as Mr. Ghaleb el Charif is keeping up with the shelter and the state of the refugees. He is also in constant communication with UNHCR and keeping himself updated with official authorities to be reassured on the future status of schools and the students. He also recently started to prepare for the second batch of boxes to distribute to the families of the Naddaf shelter before Ramadan starts on April 25.”

Thanks to Ghaleb and all who are working to provide for our students and their families! For more information on how the crisis is impacting Lebanon, see the below article:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/08/lebanon-direct-covid-19-assistance-hardest-hit

Alongside the rest of the world, we are ever vigilant about keeping the children, families, staff and faculty safe at our center. As such, we wanted to provide you an update on how they’re doing and what they’re doing in the midst of the pandemic. Please read below for a wonderful update as provided by Lama Charif, our new content writer and graphic designer.

If you are interested in donating to help Safe Spaces Lebanon support these families at this time, please do so online by clicking here.

by Dalia Chaif

I often reflect on my resistance and parents’ persistence to connect us to our heritage, as I now realize they know it is best for us. My parents knew the endless opportunities that come from respecting cultures and being able to communicate in multiple languages.

For example, my family built a school in Lebanon called “Safe Spaces Lebanon” for Syrian and refugees who are unable to receive an education. They were able to do this with the support of Methodist ministers and local non-government organizations. My brother and I worked at the school and with the children this past summer. It gave us an entirely new perspective on our own lives and how much our parents have sacrificed to get us to where we are today. These children showed us what true resilience means.

We go back and visit and have created a special bond of language and learning. One of the children who exemplifies that bond is a 15-year-old boy named Mouwaffak. When he first came to Safe Spaces Lebanon, he did not read or write and showed aggressive behavior. Now, the teachers say he is one of the brightest students in his class, always problem-solving and following instructions. The last time we spoke, he said in Arabic, “I did not realize how important it was to learn English, because I felt that it was unnecessary. Then I started attending Safe Spaces, and I understood how vital it was. It gives me access to learn about science, math, and numbers, preparing me for international business in the future.” Learning a language bridges the gap in both directions, and can create opportunities for anyone: a high school student preparing for college, or a young Syrian refugee chasing the dream of an unthreatened life.

Therefore, with the most appreciation, gratitude, and sincerity, I say,

“Shukran mama wa baba. Shukran jazeelan.”

(Thank you, mom and dad. Thank you so much.)

by Mona Charif

My family and I spent our Christmas vacation in Lebanon. On Christmas day, it was cold and rainy, but we still wanted the kids to have a good day. We took the Safe Spaces students to an indoor sports pavilion that Ghaleb booked for them. There, we played soccer, basketball, volleyball, and many other games while also singing and dancing, and having lunch. Jad, my son, showed them for the first time how to throw and catch a baseball with a mitt. My daughter Dalia put together two soccer teams, boys against girls, to show the girls that they could win against the boys and play themselves. I had a great one on one conversation with Mouaffak; we talked about his plan to work hard, and he showed me what he learned. He counted for me in English and recited the English alphabet. We all ate manakish and drank juice while listening to music and enjoying each other’s company.

Two days later, we went down to the school and delivered the laptops we brought with us from the US. It was a great opportunity that Ghaleb put together with cake and celebration to announce the opening our new computer lab.

We showed the students how to type and play learning games that Rana had installed onto the laptops. The kids were drawn to this experience and enjoyed it very much. After two weeks, we are seeing great improvement in the kids desire to come to school and work on the computers. It was a great experience that helped us bond even greater with my family and these students. After they recognized my family and wanted to spend time with them, it made me see that we are all becoming one united family.

We will upload photos, videos, success stories to the website as we update the website. Shaun has been a great help in this regard. I’m working closely with him to ensure the appropriateness and accuracy of the material we’re posting.

We recently began a new computer technology program for the students at Safe Spaces Lebanon. Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to provide the first set of laptops last month. They had an immediate impact upon the children. It was amazing to see their eyes light up when seeing a computer for the very first time. These laptops will help us expand our curriculum and also open up the entire world for the kids.
Gus and Mona Charif decided that there was no better place to spend Christmas than with the children. Not only is their family spending the holidays with the children, they are also bringing more of the laptops that were donated. By the end of this next semester we are hoping to have enough laptops for all of the children to learn from.

This past Saturday night, our team (Rachel Griffin Baughman, Gus Charif, Beaux Wellborn, Mara Morhouse, James Michael Williams, David Griffin and Bridgette Griffin) was packed and ready to go to Lebanon to check in on our school. We had prepared our hearts and minds to connect with the country, the kids and the families we love. Because of the demonstrations in Lebanon we decided to re-book the trip for next spring. We keep the people of Lebanon and its government in prayer at this time.

Even though we can’t be there now, let us reflect on the last trip we took just over a year ago when we opened the school. Let us give thanks for these bright young faces and partners who collaborated with us so joyfully. Here’s a wonderful video that was created for us last year by Alex McKellar.

Inshallah, the journey continues; into 2020 and beyond!

A Day of Hope

Today was a wonderful, hope-filled day. We set up and decorated the classrooms for tomorrow’s opening, thanked our instrumental partners and support team who made this possible, and watched the dreams, prayers, fundraising, regrouping, and listening come to culmination. From vision and ideas to a dream that opens tomorrow, may we all believe our small, collaborative steps can make big change. #safespaceslebanon