How does the Sawiri school accommodate Syrian refugee children in Lebanon?

The Sawiri school utilizes the premises of existing Lebanese schools during the afternoon shift, after Lebanese students have left. They operate for 11 months a year, offering a comprehensive education that includes digital literacy, trauma therapies, and extracurricular activities.

What impact has digital literacy training had on students and teachers?

Digital literacy has empowered teachers and students, proving crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic for remote learning. Students enjoy the interactive and game-like learning experience, which helps them improve English vocabulary and master new skills.

What are the main challenges faced by the Sawiri school and its students?

Key challenges include limited internet and electricity, the high cost and scarcity of fuel for transportation, and an increased demand for schooling due to Lebanese families moving children from private to public schools. The computer lab's challenge is the student-to-laptop ratio, ideally desiring one-to-one access.

How did the solar power system installation at the Sawely Tamkeen school help?

The solar power system enables the school to operate computer labs and technology consistently, overcoming the significant issue of limited electricity in Lebanon. This is seen as a critical step towards sustainable and uninterrupted education.

What is Becki's next step in developing digital literacy resources?

Becki is launching a bilingual teacher training resource kit with self-guided courses, lesson plans, and video tutorials. They are also digitizing a child trauma program developed by TNO for Arabic-speaking regions, aiming for wider accessibility and impact.

Beyond computers, how can the community support Becki's initiatives?

The community can support through funding, partnerships on content, and logistics for moving devices across borders. In-kind support, such as legal or business development expertise, is also valuable. The biggest current challenge for Becki is securing laptop donors.

Key Moments

Digital Literacy: Stories from the Field

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Digital literacy for refugee children in Lebanon is vital, bridging gaps and empowering futures.

Key Insights

Digital literacy is crucial for refugee children's educational and future opportunities.

Organizations like Thaki provide vital digital resources and training in challenging environments.

Teachers and students highlight the engaging and beneficial nature of digital learning tools.

Overcoming challenges like limited internet, power, and resources requires innovative solutions like solar power.

The crisis in Lebanon exacerbates the need for educational access and digital inclusion.

Collaboration and sustained funding are essential to scale these critical educational initiatives.

THE MISSION OF THAKI AND DIGITAL INCLUSION

Thaki, founded seven years ago, aims to provide digital literacy and e-learning to vulnerable and refugee children, initially focusing on Lebanon with expansion into Jordan, the UAE, and the Netherlands. The organization emphasizes a circular economy and sustainability model in its operations. The core mission is to bring vital digital skills to children who might otherwise be excluded, understanding that education, particularly digital education, is fundamental for their future self-reliance.

PARTNERSHIP AND INNOVATION IN THE BEKAA VALLEY

Salwa Al-Jabri, an architect by profession, transitioned to educational relief work following the Syrian crisis. She co-founded and oversees two schools in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, serving 1450 students from KG3 to Grade 7. Salwa partnered with Thaki, recognizing that traditional education alone was insufficient and that digital literacy was a critical missing component for their students' future prospects. The schools operate in the afternoons, using Lebanese school premises after regular hours.

ADAPTING TO CRISIS AND EMBRACING DIGITAL LEARNING

The Sawiri school, under Salwa's guidance, rapidly adopted digital learning, a move that proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. When lockdowns necessitated remote learning, teachers were already trained and equipped with laptops, enabling a swift pivot to teaching via WhatsApp. This experience reinforced the importance of digital skills, leading to expanded computer lab access for all students, from Grade 1 upwards, and the integration of interactive digital lessons within classrooms.

OVERCOMING INFRASTRUCTURAL CHALLENGES

Lebanon's severe economic crisis presents significant challenges, including limited internet and power supply. To address this, Thaki, in collaboration with other foundations, installed a solar power system at the Sawiri school. This initiative provides reliable electricity for 1100 students and powers the computer labs and digital infrastructure, a critical step towards ensuring continuous education despite national. This clean energy solution is seen as a potential model for other schools.

THE TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Muhammad Siri, a computer teacher at the Tameen school, has been with the program for four years. He works with 40 students per session, typically with two students sharing one of the 25 laptops in the computer lab. Muhammad teaches younger students graphics and animation using programs like Scratch, noting their enthusiasm and quick learning. A significant challenge is the laptop-to-student ratio, and he advocates for more one-to-one opportunities to optimize learning and reduce potential conflicts among peers sharing devices.

STUDENT ASPIRATIONS AND THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL SKILLS

Huda, a 12-year-old student in grade 6, has been with the Sawiri school since grade one and has been learning with computers since grade four. She finds computer learning enjoyable and wishes all students had access to it. Huda excels in Scratch and participated in a robotics competition, winning an award. She dreams of becoming a doctor. While she uses her brother's smartphone for some educational research and games, she highlights the need for consistent access to digital tools to support her learning and aspirations.

THE GROWING NEED AND SUSTAINING THE WORK

Salwa notes that the ongoing crisis in Lebanon has increased the demand for educational centers, as Lebanese families shift to public schools, leaving fewer spots for refugees. Transportation is a major hurdle, compounded by fuel scarcity and high costs. Despite these immense challenges, Salwa's motivation stems from a deep belief in education as a fundamental right, empowering children to become productive and self-reliant individuals. She sees her work as building not just knowledge but confidence and future prospects.

THAKI'S FUTURE INITIATIVES AND COLLABORATION NEEDS

Rodena outlines Thaki's ongoing work, focusing on hardware (repurposed laptops), educational content, and logistics. Future plans include a bilingual teacher training digital toolkit, self-guided courses, and modern lesson plans. They are also digitizing a child trauma program for the Middle East. Thaki emphasizes collaboration, seeking laptop donors, funding, and partnerships in clean energy and expanding their reach across Arabic-speaking countries. They advocate for collective effort to solve the educational crisis.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●People Referenced

Digital Literacy in Vulnerable Communities: Key Takeaways

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Embrace digital literacy as a crucial component of education for future readiness.

Provide teachers with adequate training and resources for using technology effectively.

Integrate technology into the classroom through interactive lessons and computer labs.

Explore sustainable solutions like solar power to ensure consistent access to technology.

Focus on holistic education including mental health support, sports, and extracurriculars.

Foster peer learning and collaboration among students using digital tools.

Recognize and address the unique challenges faced by refugee and vulnerable communities.

Avoid This

Underestimate the importance of digital skills for marginalized populations.

Focus solely on core curriculum without supplementary digital learning.

Neglect the need for reliable power and internet access in implementing digital initiatives.

Exclude younger students from computer lab access; integrate from Grade 1 onwards.

Assume digital tools alone are sufficient without teacher training and community support.

Limit educational opportunities due to lack of resources; seek innovative solutions.

Common Questions

Becki is an organization that provides digital literacy, e-learning, and circular economy sustainability models to vulnerable communities. It has been operating primarily in Lebanon but is expanding to Jordan and has a presence in the UAE and the Netherlands.

Topics

Technology & Innovation Vulnerable Communities Coding Education Teacher Training Digital Literacy Sustainable Energy Society & Philosophy Refugee Education STEM Education

Mentioned in this video

Organizations

Becki

An organization founded by Rodina that provides digital literacy, e-learning, and circular economy sustainability models to vulnerable communities, primarily operating in Lebanon, Jordan, and the UAE.

So Powerful

A Dutch foundation that collaborated with Becki and Tamkeen to install a solar power system in a school.

TNO

A Dutch research entity that developed a child trauma program, which Becki is digitizing for Arabic-speaking regions.

Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education

A foundation that provided a grant for testing Becki's bilingual teacher training resource kit.

Sawiri School

A school in the Beka Valley, Lebanon, founded by Salwa Al-Jabri, which provides education to Syrian refugee children and incorporates digital literacy programs.

Tamkeen

An organization that collaborated with Becki and 'So powerful' to install a solar power system at the Sawely Tamkeen school.

Locations

Lebanon

A country where the organization Becki primarily operates, facing a significant Syrian refugee crisis and severe economic challenges.

UAE

A country where Becki has a presence.

Jordan

A country where Becki is expanding its operations.

Netherlands

The country where the speaker, Rodina, is currently based.

Software & Apps