Youth Unemployment on the Rise
Even before the Syrian refugee crisis, Lebanon had the highest rate of Palestinian refugees living in extreme poverty, earning less than $6 a day. Now, the situation is getting worse as Syrian refugees are forced to compete for the same low-paying jobs.
Meanwhile, vocational training in Lebanon is overlooked. UNRWA, which is mandated with providing educational services for Palestinians, only has one technical training center in Lebanon. This facility cannot come close to meeting the needs of the long list of students hoping to get into a vocational program.
In Gaza, where the Palestinian economy is devastated by the blockade, unemployment is among the highest in the world. Even with university degrees, youths are unable to find a job in their field. Similarly, in the West Bank, restrictions on movement and the burden of occupation prohibit the economy from thriving, leaving many young people without hope for the future.
Useful Job Training in Lebanon and Palestine
Anera helps young people gain the skills they need to secure good-paying jobs in desirable fields. Through a Palestinian scholarship fund, short skills-based training courses, and partnerships with local institutions, we are helping refugees in Lebanon and Palestine take charge of their futures.
How It Works
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Formal Vocational Training in Lebanon
In Lebanon, we’ve funded Palestinian scholarships for formal vocational training programs since 2006. Each year, a cohort of students learns to become preschool teachers, electricians, mechanics, accountants, and nurses. And our support doesn’t stop with financial aid. We organize discussion sessions with parents and students and collaborate with local partners in Palestinian camps to address needs and concerns.
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Non-Formal Skills Courses
Anera also provides non-formal vocational and job skills courses in Lebanon that are shorter and more flexible in nature. These reach thousands of students – many of whom dropped out of school many years ago. About half of the students currently in these programs are refugees from Syria. We also welcome marginalized Lebanese and Palestinian teens.
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Partnering with Local Institutions
In Palestine, Anera partners with educational institutions to make sure young people have access to quality vocational education in new and emerging fields. We’ve built four IT centers in the West Bank, partnered with Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children for more than 20 years and are currently supporting a digital publishing course in partnership with Birzeit University.
302
internships or job placements...
were obtained by youths in Anera's non-formal job skills courses in 2016.
34
community organizations across Lebanon...
work with Anera to implement courses and enroll students.
5,345
Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese participating...
in courses ranging from accounting and advertising to construction and embroidery.
