The ACCESS-MENA project
ALTERNATIVES TO COMBAT EXPLOITIVE CHILD LABOR THROUGH EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABLE SERVICES
Duration of the project
September 2004 to July 2008
(The concluding ceremony held on 9th July 2008: click)
Funding partners
United States Department of Labor (USDOL)
Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) - USA
Implementing partners
Local NGOs and government institutions
Beneficiaries
9,000 children benefited from the direct education programs such as Literacy classes, Accelerated Vocational Training (AVT) or Training of teachers and around
15,000 children benefited from awareness and recreational activities.
Description
The ACCESS project provided direct education interventions for working children and for children at risk of dropping out from schools, with specific focus on the need to expand access to girls' education. It succeeded in building models that strengthened institutional capacity to eliminate exploitive child labor. The targeted children were those below the legal working age (i.e. under 15 years), and children at risk of dropping out from school for financial reasons or because of learning difficulties.
The project covered the various regions of Lebanon: Greater Beirut (Borj Hammoud, Sin el Fil), the South (Nabatieh, Tyre), and the North (Akkar, Bab el Tebbaneh, Tripoli). Its activities included:
Literacy, Accelerated Vocational Training (AVT) and Remedial classes.
Provision of necessary school supplies (books and other)
Infrastructural rehabilitation of select schools/centers
Raising of awareness and promotion of children's rights and the risks of child labor to parents and community leaders
Capacity building of teachers in selected schools for the application of Student Learner Centered Learning Methodology.
Advocacy for and development of national policies aimed at improving and facilitating enrollment and retention of children in schools.
>> Check Access-Mena's official website <<
Click below to read about events held by the project:
In 2008
January-March
Awareness sessions on 'Education benefits' for the employers of potential at risk or working children
January-March
Awareness sessions on 'Education benefits for Working Children', with community and religious leaders
January-March
Psychological and psychosocial support activities
January-March
Recreational Activities- Social Animation and Interactive Sessions
January-March
Discussions with withdrawn and prevented children on the benefits of education
25-27 January
Workshop - Training for Literacy Teachers
31 January & 1 February
Workshop - Training for planning and approaching employers of Working Children
22-24 February
Workshop - Training for Remedial Teachers
April-June
Psychological and Psychosocial support activities
April-May
Awareness sessions on 'Education benefits for Working Children', with community and religious leaders
April
Awareness sessions on 'Education benefits for Working Children', for parents
27 April - 8 June
Recreational Activities- Trips and social Animation
May
Awareness sessions on 'Education benefits' for the employers of potential at risk or working children
In 2007
January
Posters - Children's right to education and safety at work
January to July
Weekly - Remedial Sessions, in all regions
2 February
Workshop for social workers - Awareness for Parents and Employers of Working Children
16-19 February
Workshop - Training of Trainers for Awareness
From March
Excursions for working children
March to August
Awareness and Recreational activities for children
March
Booklet - Safety at work for working children
24-25 March
Workshop - Drama Therapy and Animation Techniques
From April
Community Leaders meetings
19-23 April
Workshop - Training of Remedial Teachers
6 May
Carnival for children (Tripoli)
20-22 June
Workshop - Mental Health Promotion (Beirut)
27-29 July
Workshop - Mental Health Promotion (Saida)
9-11 August
Workshop - Child Abuse
21-22 September
Workshop - First Aid
24-26 September
Workshop - Training for Awareness and Recreational teams
29 September
National Debate Day
8, 9 & 15 December
Workshop - Accelerated Vocational Training (AVT) for teachers
In 2006
20-22 & 29-30 January, and 3-5 February
Three Workshops - Training of Trainers on working with the parents of Working Children or at Risk of Dropping out of School, for the South, Beirut and the North
4, 6, 11, 12 & 20 April
Five Workshops - Awareness sessions for community leaders, in Saida, Nabatieh, Tripoli, Beirut and Wadi Khaled
30 April
Training of trainers on Awareness Raising for Working Children, in Beirut
From October
Weekly - Literacy and Accelerated Vocational Training sessions, in all regions
17-19 November and 1-3 December
Two workshops - Literacy Techniques for teachers and social workers, for the South, Beirut and the North
24-25 November and 8-9 December
Two workshops - Life Skills Techniques for teachers and social workers, for the South, Beirut and the North
In 2005
8 April
Conference and workshop on 'Compulsory Free Education', in Nabatieh
9 April
Conference and workshop on 'Compulsory Free Education, in Sin El Fil
26 May
National conference on 'Compulsory Free Education, in Verdun, Beirut
8 July
Child Forum for working children, in Beirut
24-31 August
Sessions for parents on 'Awareness Raising', in the North and Akkar
26 October
Field visit to the hot-air balloon, in Beirut
1-3 December
Training of teachers, in Wadi Khaled, the North
3 December
National Seminar on 'Violence in schools', in Beirut