IT & Vocational Training Opportunities in Lebanon

The war with Israel in the Summer of 2006 brought international attention to Lebanon. It also devastated the country's economy and infrastructure. Fortunately, several U.S. businesses stepped forward to help put the country back on the road to stability and growth.

The Partnership for Lebanon Fund was formed to raise funds through public-private partnerships and help Lebanon recover from the effects of the war. Several companies including Intel, Cisco and Occidental Petroleum, joined together to donate $1 million to support local and international non-governmental organizations working on relief efforts.

Dr. Craig Barrett, Intel's CEO, visited Beirut in April 2007 to highlight increasing Internet connectivity throughout the country as a means of developing greater capacities in health care, employment and education. Commenting on the success of similar initiatives in other countries, Dr. Barrett noted, "teachers and kids were the first to make use of this technology, and in most cases it instantly transformed their lives and conditions in their communities."

As part of this grant, ANERA received $250,000 to launch the Integrating ICT into Livelihood Recovery Efforts in South Lebanon. The project focuses on restoring the capacities of community-based organizations through education and vocational training, marketing, and information technology initiatives to meet community needs and promote reconciliation and understanding.

ANERA's program built on strong ties with established NGO partners: the Association for the Development of Rural Capacities (ADR); the Kamel Yousef Jaber Cultural and Social Center; the Association for Forests, Development, and Conservation (AFDC), and the YMCA of Lebanon. ANERA used the capacities of this diverse group to ensure donor funds directly benefit affected communities. Two centers where the Partnership Fund had an impact are the Tyre Center and the Jbaa Youth Center.

ADR uses its IT centers to offer vocational training courses in basic accounting and secretarial skills to young people in search of better employment opportunities. The centers also provide tailored courses in cell phone and computer repair so students can acquire specialized, marketable skills.

Students in ADR's courses range in age from 17 - 25 years. All are high school graduates and half are women. Young adults completing ADR's training program often find work in the local community, earning income for themselves and their families.

ANERA also partners with the Kamal Yousef Jaber Cultural and Social Center to rehabilitate and equip three IT centers, one of which is the Jbaa Youth Center, a multi-purpose activity center for community youth. Activities conducted by the Center include performing and visual arts (such as music and drawing for children), cosmetology training, and instructional IT courses for young adults.

In these centers and in others throughout Southern Lebanon, ANERA and the Partnership for Lebanon Fund help communities take a small step on the road to improving education and employment opportunities - and, ultimately, providing a brighter future for Lebanese youth and the country.