APPI: Protection, psychosocial support and family reintegration for vulnerable girls

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Context

The unprecedented economic, political and humanitarian crisis in Lebanon in recent years has driven 75% of the population below the poverty line. Several factors have brought the country to this point, including corruption, the pandemic and the warehouse explosion in the port of Beirut.

Beyond income, poverty is also expressed through a lack of access to essential services such as health or education. According to a UN study,  75% of the young girls interviewed said they did not have access to after-school services that could enable them to improve their education. The study also found a high drop-out rate among girls (23%) and difficulty for families in covering the costs of their children’s schooling. Of the ten schools in the district, only three are free public schools.

Local partner

  • Congrégation des Sœurs de Notre Dame de Charité du Bon Pasteur

Objectives

  • Provide psychosocial support to help girls overcome their difficulties, improve their well-being and develop resilience
  • Tackle school drop-out through educational support and career guidance
  • Work with families to prevent violence and enhance parenting skills
  • Strengthen our partner’s educational skills
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Dora Day Centre - Sevane, the psychologist, talks to a young girl © Ségolène Ragu/Apprentis d'Auteuil

Activities

The activities take place in three of the Soeurs du Bon Pasteur’s facilities: the Dora social centre, the Ain Saadeh shelter and the Collège du Bon Pasteur in Hammana.

In order to meet the educational, psychological and social needs identified, the activities focus on three key areas:

Prevention: equipping young girls to strengthen their autonomy and enable them to face the challenges of everyday life on their own through training and awareness-raising; early detection of young girls in need of psychosocial support.

Protection: protecting young girls from all forms of violence and abuse through psychosocial support tailored to those whose psychological state and/or family situation requires enhanced, individual support; supporting young girls in their schooling and preventing them from dropping out of school in order to prevent them from being marginalised.

Career guidance: helping young girls plan their future and find their way in the world of work by exploring a range of careers and working with advisors.

Work with young people's families, in particular their parents, is carried out across the board to help them in their parental role, resolve family conflicts and thus contribute to the creation of a healthy family environment conducive to the healthy development of young girls.

Linked programmes

Child protection

Support children in street situations to promote their rights and reintegrate them sustainably into society.

Family and parenting support

Support parents in their educational role and empower them as key actors in child protection.

Integration and entrepreneurship

Provide young people with vocational training and socio-educational support to enable them to build a better future.