Rania's childhood was marked by war, displacement and poverty. She lived with her sister, two brothers and her parents in a one room apartment that lacked basic facilities.

They had escaped from Syria on foot, crossing the mountains for two days until they reached Lebanon. There, they faced no state support or schooling rights. Rania spent most of her time in the apartment, where her father worked as a janitor for a meager income.

Rania's parents were unable to care about her education. They wanted to find her a husband as soon as possible to reduce their expenses. But Rania had a different dream and a thirst for knowledge. She joined our Oasis programme, where she pursued her education despite being much older than some of the other students.

It is no easy task teaching 40 or so children like Rania who have had no education. Imagine taking a class where the children’s age range is 5 to 15!

• They have never learnt how to behave at school, or indeed with other kids.
• Most have suffered trauma.
• Like Rania, just about all of them live in stressed family situations, cramped in one room.
• Their minds are not used to learning and need a lot of adjustment.
• They get little support at home, as most of their mums are illiterate. 

Amina's passion for school

Meet Amina* (name changed to protect privacy)

Eleven year old Amina was only one year old when she fled from war in her home country with her family. They moved to Lebanon, where education is not free and in high demand. Her family couldn't afford to send her to school, so she helped her father instead. He worked as a construction worker, but his work was irregular and scarce. Their living conditions deteriorated due to the situation in Lebanon. They rented a room near the school, where they all lived together in one space.

In 2021, Amina was working on a construction site when the director of Kids Alive Lebanon noticed her.  She was approached and offered a chance to go to school. Amina eagerly accepted and joined the Oasis programme. Amina had never experienced a school setting before, so she felt strange at first. However, the teachers and the staff supported her and commended her courage. Amina began to thrive. She learned how to read and write and put in a lot of effort to master English, a foreign language that was unfamiliar to her. Amina was older than her classmates, but that did not deter her from attending school every day. Amina showed remarkable progress and maintained unwavering dedication.

"The best part is hearing about God and learning about Jesus. I can't wait to hear more about Him" Amina said.

Amina devoted a lot of time to prayer, praying for her family, for her success in the programme and her transition to a regular classroom. She had a specific goal of moving to Grade 2 and joining a regular class with peers of her age. Her main focus was her studies, and she even wrote prayers on her arm as a reminder to study and advance.

 “Because she had to work at a young age and in a tough environment, she is a very responsible student who takes initiative to help the teacher as well as her peers. She is the classroom’s leader and support" her teacher commented.

At the end of the academic year, Amina sincerely expressed her gratitude to her teachers and appreciated all their efforts to help her. After a year of diligent learning, Amina improved her skills to a level where she was ready to join a regular school. This year, she happily enrolled in Grade 2 with her fellow students and we believe she will continue to excel in her studies. "I am so happy now that I come to school."