Saeed Al Saeed, a ten-year-old boy, is the eldest son of a modest Syrian family of eleven members, the parents and their five boys and four girls. The family is currently living in a humble home at Derzanoun-Bar Elias, which became their refuge from the Syrian crisis. Saeed was diagnosed with Autism when he was younger, which made the rearing process very challenging for his parents.
Saeed was referred by Caritas to a Basic Literacy and Numeracy program (BLN) executed by the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) in partnership with UNICEF at Majdal Anjar-Bekaa. Saeed’s joining was a challenge taken seriously and responsibly by the LOST team since day one. His first week at the center was not easy, Saeed cried all the time, refused to attend his classes, and it was almost impossible for him to interact and socialize with his classmates. Academic wise, Saeed struggled with focusing and organizing, he could not memorize anything nor pay attention to the teachers. Being aware of this, the teachers at LOST made some serious attempts and efforts to help Saeed get all the academic and social support he needs. Therefore, teachers would respond to all his needs and requests for the first two weeks, and if he ever wanted to go back home, they would send him right away.
The strategy used to support and deal with Saeed included providing the best educational and social settings by setting up classrooms and an atmosphere to maximally accommodate him. Teachers removed a few posters that were distracting Saeed from focusing and created a relaxing and a calm mood. Moreover, Saeed was trained on social behaviors, in addition to discussions on how one’s behavior affects others. Saeed showed real progress during the cycle, became committed, and gained many skills. Starting from greeting his teachers and friends in the morning to respecting everyone and asking for permission for going out. He showed great improvement in learning, he could finally hold a pencil and spell and write letters and numbers correctly.
Ibrahim and Hanaa, Saeed’s parents, expressed how surprised and thankful they are for seeing their elder son learning and socializing like anybody else. “I couldn’t believe that this is my son Saeed, he has changed a lot. I thought it was impossible for him to make any progress, but he did. I am thankful for the teachers and LOST”, said Saeed’s mother. By the end of the BLN cycle and due to time constraints, Saeed was referred to a specialized organization that can further help him improve.
