Prime Highlights :
- The Alsama Project won the $500,000 Global Schools Prize to expand educational support for refugee children and teenagers.
- The organisation plans to open two new education centres in Lebanon and Syria with the prize funding.
Key Facts :
- Alsama Project provides education support for refugee children and teenagers through dedicated learning centres.
- The organisation currently serves around 1,200 students and uses accelerated learning methods to prepare students for higher education.
Background :
A Lebanese education organisation supporting refugee children and teenagers in Lebanon and Syria plans to expand its work after winning the $500,000 top prize at the inaugural Global Schools Prize. The award will help the Alsama Project increase access to education for young refugees who have remained outside formal learning systems.
The organisation received the recognition during the Global Education Forum in London. The prize was presented by the award’s founder, Sunny Varkey and filmmaker Richard Curtis. The win is expected to help the organisation increase its reach and strengthen its existing educational support network.
The Alsama Project currently runs four education centres in refugee camps in Beirut and one centre in Homs, Syria. The group plans to open two additional centres using the prize money. According to the organisation’s leadership, the funding will help hundreds of teenagers gain educational opportunities and prepare for higher education in the coming years.
The programme currently serves nearly 1,200 students across refugee communities. Many students join with little or no literacy or basic mathematical skills. Through an accelerated learning model, students become literate within months and can become ready for university studies in nearly half the usual learning time.
The organisation continued operating and teaching students despite periods of conflict in Lebanon. Apart from literacy and academic support, it also promotes sports participation and gender equality.
The first group of students from the programme is now graduating, with some expected to pursue studies at international universities through scholarship opportunities.
