Young Lebanese girls land an internship through Save the Children

Reem, 19, and Hanan, 22, both live in the same neighborhood but due to their introverted and shy nature, their relationship was limited to the casual greeting when they ran into each other. They both participated in Save the Children’s youth training programme and had been offered an internship in their village’s municipality. The programme, made possible by the Bureau of People, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) not only facilitated the young girls’ first steps into their careers, but also created a very strong friendship between them.

Reem, 19 (left) and Hanan, 22 (right)

Hanan’s story in her own words:

My sister had heard about Save the Children’s Home Based Skills Development (HBSD)* programme and went to register. I was interested in it too, so I went with her. I met with Reem there who also wanted to be part of the HBSD programme. We were told that this particular project targets older women; however they introduced us to another programme they’re offering that aims to train youth on life skills. Reem and I both registered in it at the same time. We took classes that taught us how to effectively communicate with people, as well as classes where we learned about entrepreneurship and humanitarian aid.

The great thing about this training is that it not only enhanced our confidence, but it also introduced us to so many great people from different nationalities. Because of Save the Children’s youth skills training programme, my now best friend Reem and I are interns at the municipality.

We learn something new every day and we are involved in so many of the municipality’s projects. We started out with filling out the data base and our work gradually evolved. We now sometimes go door to door to fill surveys and do statistic counts. We have met so many people and we have stopped being the shy people that we were.

In a country where job opportunities are very scarce, I am very grateful that I registered in Save the Children’s programme which was the primary factor that secured my internship with the municipality.

Reem’s story in her own words:

I was a very introverted person who had no friends; now I not only have a best friend, but I’m also much more confident in front of people. My communication skills are so much better that even my mom is surprised with this positive transformation.My manager in the municipality is so proud of Hanan and me; during one of our tasks, we managed to gather over 300 surveys in only 3 days!

Hanan and I are neighbors. We’ve always seen each other around in the village, at the supermarket or the bakery, but we’ve never really talked to each other. During the youth skills training programme, we got to know each other and realized how much we have in common. Since then, we’ve become inseparable. My life changed completely the moment I registered in Save the Children’s programme. I learned a lot about my personality and potential, and I was given the opportunity to build my capacities and realize them at work.

To start a career is a very difficult step at this age; you need experience to find work, and you need work to gain experience. It’s a loop that so many of us get stuck in. However, Save the Children not only provided us with internship opportunities to gain experience, but also trained us to excel at them. I am very happy and thankful; I feel lucky that I was part of this programme.

Context and background

Lebanon, a tiny country with a population of just over 4 million, hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita of any country in the region, with 1.2 million registered and an estimated 400,000 unregistered Syrians now living across Lebanon.

The needs of teenagers and young people are often amongst the most neglected during periods of conflict. Their education and career plans are disrupted, opportunities to develop their skills disappear and they may suddenly find themselves wholly or partially responsible for their family’s financial wellbeing. Young girls may be forced into early marriage or subject to exploitation as a mean to relieve the financial pressure on their families.

A key element in Save the Children’s adolescent and youth programming is to provide immediate benefits and long term positive change. The programmes are designed in the belief that young people have the right to participate in decision-making, to have opportunities to learn and build their skills, and to play a positive role in their communities.

Research carried out by Save the Children in Bekaa and Tripoli Governorates found that distinct opportunities for youth skills training and job matching do exist in specific sectors. In particular, there are pockets of demands for specialized agricultural and vocational skills, and high demands for humanitarian skill sets. Save the Children used these findings to design skills training for youth aged 18-24 in Tripoli and Bekaa, who could opt to learn sets of skills they felt were most useful to them.

With the support of BPRM, 40 youth in Tripoli benefitted from a skill training, which was complemented by youth-led community projects and innovative traineeships in humanitarian organizations and apprenticeship placements in small to medium-sized enterprises. The main goal of this initiative is viable work for the youth who participate.

*The HBSD project is is a telve month livelihood project being implemented in Tripoli that supports 200 vulnerable women from both refugee and host communities in learning a skill and establishing and managing income generating activities. The women benefit from three months of cash assistance whilst they learn a trade and form a woman's group focused on setting up and supporting each other in business.