It's the peak of summer and many families go away during these weeks to visit their relatives, the sea, the mountains or new places worth discovering. For the children in the camps, this is not possible and for them, the scorching weeks of the year are one thing: long and tedious. That's why DSPR runs summer camps in many centres to empower the children and offer them opportunities to engage in meaningful activities and educate themselves, discover the world around them and get to know themselves better.
Summer is a time of endless possibilities and activities for the students. The main goal was to make sure our young learners get to know the school environment their teachers and have a good time with a variety of educational and recreational activities. We aimed to create a summer they'd never forget.
One highlight was our trip to a riverside resort where the children swam & enjoyed their time, and what made the trip even more special was that the mothers were invited too, to give them the opportunity to be with their children not only in the family affairs but also while they are having fund and ventilate their stresses. It was a beautiful bonding experience for all involved.
The children also embarked on a journey into the world of bees, by visiting the DSPR JCC Tyre Center where the students were spellbound by these fascinating creatures. They learned about the importance of bees and had a chance to observe the honey-making process. They were also introduced to the world of vegetables and fruits grown on the farm.
The summer program, in the DSPR JCC Dbayeh Center, is an 8-week educational and entertainment experience held for the approximately 170 children from diverse nationalities in the Dbayeh camp. The program creates a dynamic platform for students by stepping outside the guidelines of traditional classroom settings. The children are encouraged to explore diverse subjects that spark their curiosity and passion, thus allowing them to develop skills, and enjoy fun activities.
Education and entertainment within the summer program was to create an enriching experience for all participants, ensuring that each day is a delight for the young learners. There are team-building activities in joyful surroundings nurturing their holistic development through teamwork and friendship. Through shared experiences and understanding, young minds build bridges of friendship that transcend borders and differences
Ein El-Hilweh is the largest of 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon, hosting more than 120,000 Palestinian and Syrian refugees, according to United Nations agencies.
A Fatah commander and four of his bodyguards were assassinated on July 30th in an ambush that also injured several of his aides in the Ein El-Hilweh camp near the southern coastal city of Sidon. Clashes began the previous day with a failed assassination attempt on a leader of a group sympathetic to hardline Islamists in which one person was killed. That was followed by gunfire and attacks by armed militants on the headquarters of Fatah.
Fighting subsided but did not completely stop after a ceasefire was reached between rival Palestinian factions that included representatives of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah group and its ally Shi'ite Amal movement that hold sway in southern Lebanon. Shops had closed their doors and many civilians fled the camp as tensions between the rival groups mounted. The Lebanese army said a mortar fell inside a military headquarters with one soldier wounded.
As for DSPR JCC in Lebanon in Ein El Hilweh, a rocket fell on the building where the centre is located and caused damages to the furniture (tables, desks, whiteboards), photocopy machine, doors and windows, 2 water tanks, musical instruments, multiple types of equipment, and the walls, ceilings and floor were affected.
On 4 August 2020, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, producing the largest non-nuclear explosion in recent history – killing at least 235, and wounding over 7,000. God can transform all the evil caused by humans into a sign of hope, and with it altering the course of history
A third year has passed since the catastrophic 4 August Blast, and the wound is still deep and open... A disaster that destroyed the heart of the capital Beirut, and ignited the hearts of millions of people who lost their loved ones, as well as many memories buried under the rubble... A third year has passed, and the truth is still obscure and lost. Who will heal the grief of the victims’ families? And how Beirut’s wounds will be healed? Are the Lebanese people still clinging to hope?
Three years following the Beirut Port Blast, the capital's silos are still bent, but the will to live remains the strongest. Therefore, many initiatives seek to heal the Lebanese people’s wounds in order to restore hope for a better life, including aid assistance as well as moral and psychosocial support...
In its turn, the Middle East Council of Churches, through the Department of Diakonia and Social Service in Lebanon, rehabilitated many small businesses and investments damaged by the Blast in order to help their owners restore their sources of livelihood after they lost everything they owned. Three years after the disaster, the Middle East Council of Churches continues to provide the necessary support for these businesses and investments aiming at ensuring their work’s sustainability through many activities that support their owners and all members of the society.
