Celebrating & Closing After 11 Years
On June 22, we celebrated the end of the school year and also the completion of Project Generation. The school opened in 2015 in the aftermath of the Syrian refugee crisis that displaced thousands due to war. We are deeply grateful that the Hope Learning Center could educate children for eleven years, be staffed by local educators, and help bring restoration to this community.
During its eleven years, the Hope Learning Center provided:
- A trauma-informed curriculum (reading, writing, math, sciences, Arabic, and English) to an average of 350 Syrian children in grades K–7 each year.
- Monthly professional development training for a total of 20 teachers.
- Character, ethics, and moral formation as part of the educational experience.
- Trauma healing groups for the teachers and older students.
- Preparation for the 9th-grade exam (which gives access to further education) for 25+ students in partnership with another organization.
Those who worked on the education project also spent numerous hours visiting dozens of families whose kids attended the school. Friendships and trust were built, creating a positive environment and a sense of ownership for those living in the camp where the school was based. Many locals expressed feeling thankful and proud to be connected to the learning center.
The closing of the school came with tears, goodbyes, and deep thankfulness for what was accomplished together with our local friends. The timing is symbolic of the change happening in the region, as many are moving and returning to their homeland to rebuild. Several of our former students are in their final year of high school and others are attending university in various parts of Syria.
We are encouraged that the impact of the school lives on in the teachers, families, and the next generation. Our members have also been enriched by this endeavor and recognize that the success of the Hope Learning Center was achieved through the efforts of a global community. It took many hands, open hearts, and hard work to complete the task. We remember and give recognition to all of our Lebanese and Syrian partners who labored with us, members who served as teachers and administrators, those who volunteered, and the hundreds of donors and supporters who gave generously.
