Refugee Louay finally has access to education
Louay, 6, from Syria was born prematurely. Due to lack of oxygen at birth, he developed a condition that left him partially paralysed. In his hometown, there was insufficient medical care to help him. Now he lives with his family in Lebanon where he finally has access to education thanks to the I Learn From Home programme.
The family came to Lebanon in October 2020, fleeing the conflict and the lack of medical care in Syria. The father finds it difficult to find work as a handyman. Thanks to a relative they have a roof over their heads, they live in a small apartment in Beirut.
Mother Dalia wants all her children to go to school, in order to work for a better future. But Louay was rejected from many schools because of his disability. Then the family came into contact with the “Back to the Future” programme. Louay now follows the accessible Community-Based Early Childhood Education (CB-ECE) programme. Classes started from home in May. Together with his sister Sham, Louay learns Arabic, English, mathematics and science.
It took some time for Louay to get out of his shell. "He's very smart, but he's also always been shy, even around me," says Dalia. That is changing: "He understands things and remembers things much faster than before. I feel he's becoming more aware, his teacher encourages him a lot, and he loves it! Louay is now much more confident and his self-esteem has improved significantly."
Dalia is very happy that Louay can access education. “I'm so happy to see how much Louay has changed since the classes started. If that proves anything, it's that disability shouldn't be a barrier to learning. I absolutely want him to continue his studies, I hope he has a better future.”
Back to the Future is funded by the European Union in Lebanon, through the EU's Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the EU Madad Fund, and is implemented in partnership by AVSI Middle East, Terre des Hommes Italy in Lebanon and War Child Holland in Lebanon.