We are all well here and our work goes on scheduled. As you are aware the situation in Lebanon is critical for the time being, but we are all looking forward for a better future.   

This year we have 77 children from all areas in Lebanon. Our students present a mixture of the Lebanese society coming from different social backgrounds.  At the moment ,we are busy with a house full of children who are back to school after the recent war in Lebanon.  They have already settled to their studies and routine. 
 
We are enjoying a prosperous year and our students are progressing with their studies to our entire satisfaction.

We were working hard during the recent war to gather as much information as possible regarding the safety and welfare of our deaf children in Lebanon. Our children are physically well, though the emotional and psychological effects of recent events are taking a toll.

We are glad that they were all doing well with their families; most of whom were displaced for a long time to safer areas mainly in refugee centers in Bekaa Valley set up in  public schools, Churches  and stadiums. They lived  and survived in very hard circumstances surrounded by violence hostility and  heavy bombardments.

We are primarily concerned about the psychological marks and what impressions this devastating war will leave on our children's lives whose basic right to survival and protection was violated. They have now lived the same story that their parents have told them about the previous wars in  their country. 

The war came during their summer holiday and destroyed what they have dreamed of at the end of the school year. They experienced and witnessed brutality and destruction. Nevertheless, they are looking forward to a brighter future.

Residences of  some of our children were damaged, destroyed and  littered with unexploded bombs during the war.

Most of our displaced children have returned to their villages. The socio-economical situation of most of the parents are devastating.  The majority of the parents are now unemployed and in extremely harsh conditions. Their livelihood became powerless. For most of them, even meeting basic family needs are a daily challenge.  Their families need food and other basic needs.

As always it is children who bore the brunt of the war and continue to suffer from its effects. Over 40% of those killed in Lebanon were children and over 400,000 were displaced from their homes during the 33 days of bombing.

On the other hand, the school was not damaged. We have not lost any of our buses or premises. Although, the strikes have come close but mainly southern Beirut.

Despite the war, we had a very successful academic year  two of our students set for the Brevet official exams and  passed  the exams with good results.

At the  moment, we are making  great efforts to care for our children at the Institute. The dreams and hopes of our children are going to vanish now. Long-term, it will have some consequences. But we are still very attached to their future.

"I believe life will return to Lebanon. Our birds will come back again."  Said Abbas Arnaout , a nine years old deaf student of FAID . He is facing an uncertain future, but still brave enough to dream.

We have also been confronted with the long-term effects of the war which have added to our costs and unexpected expenses.  

Currently, we are facing huge financial challenges due to many interrelated reasons: the economic and political instability of the country especially after the recent war and the high level of unemployment are making it hard for us to raise funds from donors and friends in Lebanon. Thus, making the sustainability of our work very difficult and challenging.

As  you will  no  doubt  realize  that our needs are ongoing and we have ,  of necessity,  to ask support from  friends  of  our  school.   At  the  moment, we have several projects in mind that need assistance.  Without support we would find it difficult to meet the demands and the running costs of our school.

Our children are sending their smiles, full of love and pray  that you will be blessed during the year. 


If you would like to help this school, please visit our DFI Cares Program page:  http://www.workersforjesus.com/dfi/needs/worldinneed.htm   Click on Lebanon.