Supporting the education of girls and marginalized groups and creating opportunities that enhance their active participation in society are the goals of the new project “Empowering Young Women and Girls through Expanding their Access to Education.” The new project was launched by the Lebanese Organisation for Studies and Training (LOST) in partnership with “Malala Fund” at an iftar, under the auspices of Baalbeck-Hermel Governor, Bashir Khodor, and in the presence of Malala Fund’s Country Representative in Lebanon, Rana El-Houjeiri, and security, social, municipal and civic entities.
LOST’s founder, Dr. Ramy Lakkis, highlighted that empowering people and involving them in public life are in the core of the organisation’s strategy in which scientific and educational empowerment of girls and young people are always a priority. He detailed the project’s activities in which academic educational services will be provided to more than 200 high students, added to life skills sessions to 300 of them in 6 high schools in Baalbeck-Hermel Governorate. In addition, the schools where the project is implemented will be provided with logistic services via youth student initiatives. Moreover, there will be an awareness campaign on the quality of gender equality and the quality of education to reach about 1000 parents in cooperation with 400 stakeholders.
In her speech, Ms. El-Houjeiri expressed her gladness that this project is the first cooperation with LOST, which falls within the context of Malala Fund’s long track of developmental work to enhance girls’ education. She considered that the meeting is not to launch a project, but rather to announce a partnership with LOST, all of the attending and interested municipalities and entities, and with the girls and youth who are the future and the basis for the success of any project or initiative.The governor underscored the cooperation with several international donors on the issue of women’s empowerment, and pointed out that one of the biggest challenges is the absence of fair educational opportunities for girls, which contributes to early marriage and the marriage of minors. So, he stressed the need for more cooperation because education is the main pillar of the improvement of society, and if future mothers do not obtain their right to education, the hope to have a better generation is lost.
