Youth for Tomorrow

Target Areas

Vulnerable and marginalized communities in the city of Saida and its suburbs.

Target Audience

Over 10 cycles, the project targeted 19,800 vulnerable and out of school youth in the age group between 12 and 19 years old whilst ensuring the participation of both male and female Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese youth.

Overall Objective

Youth for Tomorrow project aimed at providing a safe space for marginalized youth, where they can freely express their feelings and acquire life skills for a better future. The march of the youth in the center was simple, but it has a great impact through interactive sporting activities that enhance their flexibility and increase their ability to communicate, team building, and leadership spirit. They also participate in intensive sessions on technical skills such as photography, cooking and phone repair, and other skills of their choice which is built on the basis of self-expression. In addition to the mentioned, the “Profound stress & Attunement” is unique in that it adopts an educational method that uses psychological interventions within the classroom to help the youth express themselves, share their stories and rethink positively in their lives and their future through organizing advocacy initiatives and community service and through their participation in the classes of entrepreneurship and life skills.

Specific Objective

Adolescents and youth have improved psychosocial wellbeing.
Adolescents and youth have skills to pursue productive futures
Diverse groups build inter-community relationships by working together by promoting protection and interests of Adolescents and youth
Civil society has increased capacity to serve the needs of youth.

Achievements

120 community and advocacy initiated, planned, and implemented by the youth done
3000 youth graduated from the intensive courses
10800 youth benefited from the psycho-social activities in the center
1260 mothers & fathers have their awareness raised on essential topics that impact their children behaviors and life
10800 female and male youth participants have their awareness raised on bullying, personal hygiene, private space, non-violent communication, etc…
Youth benefited from the social clubs (Music, painting, chess, etc..)
1000 youth attended life skills workshops

Success Story

Doaa Abdul Razzak, Palestinian female youth participant, 17 years old.

Doaa Abdul Razzak is a Palestinian female youth participant; she’s 17 years old and living in Zaroub Njasa, Saida. She lives in a family of a mother with a teaching profession and a retired father.

Doaa is a young teenager who is very talented and bright, loves the art of creation, and dreams to be a graphic designer one day after she completes her high school education. However, like many girls of her age, Doaa struggled with some aspects of her daily life mainly the aspect of being social and connecting with others. During the start of the month of June 2019, she was invited to join Bussma Center to experience new things and enjoy her summer vacation. When she joined she wasn’t going smoothly with others, feeling awkward around the girls in her class she quoted. Doaa of course picked the photography class as her choice to go with since she already had the creative side noticed and wanted to extend it even more. With the days passing by, the girl started having small talks with the mate next to her on the bus on the way from home to Bussma and back to it, in addition to more interaction in the class was noticed. In addition to the photography class, Doaa also enrolled in the entrepreneurship class, where she showed her creativity in coming up with innovative ideas, especially in the clubs. She started working on herself to be more sociable and to develop herself and her character. Doaa found herself in the entrepreneurship club after giving her the opportunity to voice out her ideas and implement her own prototypes. One day Doaa walked up to one of the coaches at Bussma, and she said: “I was a very introvert and shy person, I didn’t know how to talk well to others or respond to them, I was worried if I ever join college how am I going to communicate with the people I’ll meet” and she also quoted: “But after I joined Bussma it all changed, it helped me learn how to stand and talk to others without fearing not getting accepted, it made me realize my capabilities and see myself truly.

Blockqoute

Mohammad Afifi, Assistant Center Coordinator, 27 years old:
"Bussma is the place where I could develop my skills and discover new cultures, norms, and traditions. "

Aya Nasser, MEAL officer, 26 years old:
"Bussma is a learning environment where a person can learn and experience various things. "

Jamal Al Hassan, Cooking coach, 28 years old:
"If I didn’t have the chance to be a member of Bussma team, I wouldn’t have become who I am today. "

Shahed Al Labban, Syrian female youth participant, 14 years old:
"In this place, I gained a family and much love. "

Jawad Al Khatib, PRL male youth participant, 17 years old:
"The care and respect I got in this place made me stronger and more confident. "

Hiba Jaber, project coordinator at Bussma from Mercy corps, 26 years old:
"Bussma is a great chance for each and every person and it’s my second house. "

Slayman Fawaz, Assistant center coordinator from DPNA at Bussma, 28 years old:
"Attunement is a necessity and a positive lifestyle. "

Abdallah Hazzouri, Coach from DPNA at Bussma, 25 years old:
"Bussma can’t be described in one sentence, it’s another life. "

Batoul Al Homsi, female Participant female at Bussma, 14 years old, Syrian, living in Saida:
"I found love and care, “I love the center and the people I’m dealing with and I feel comfortable here and nobody will bully me, I feel safe. "

Mohamad and Mayar Hammade, male participants, 17 & 15 years old, Palestinians Syrians, they came from Al Yarmouk camp in Syria living in Saida:
"Bussma has changed our life, we feel hopeful and more mature. "

Alaa Al Nimer, a female participant at Bussma, she’s 19 years old, Palestinian, living in Saida:
"Bussma got me back to life."