Step on the Past and Aspire for the Future
The Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) has kicked off a trauma healing program for Syrian and Lebanese women in rural communities. The program which is in partnership with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is being conducted across Baalbeck-Hermel region, and includes vocational training courses that address multiple domains of productivity and capacity building.
On Monday, July 11th, 2017 was the first session of the three-month-training project. The outreach of the project is highly inclusive as nine woman groups each of which consisting of 20 participants are being trained. The eight branches of LOST are all involved in the program to let as many beneficiaries as possible to take advantage from the sessions.
The design of the program takes childcare into consideration. The participants are provided by a baby-sitting service in which they have the chance to fully focus on the training, without being worried about their children.
The program does not only guide the 180 participants on how to recover from the bitterness of the past via trauma healing training, but it also gives the tools for a decent life and productive opportunities. Computer skills, photography, hairstyling, make-up, accounting, cooking, sewing, catering, and agriculture are all included in terms of empowering the Lebanese and Syrian women to have the required skills in a highly vying environment.
As the program’s title suggests, LOST and MCC support vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese women in Baalbeck-Hermel rural communities to step on the past, aspire for the future, and live in peace together.
