Vocational classes launch careers for Palestinian refugee youth
Jihad Abd el Halim was walking along the street in Nahr El Bared camp in Lebanon when he noticed a poster advertising a pastry training class at the camp’s Women’s Program Center. “That’s where everything’s happening,” he explains.
At 14, Jihad had failed his seventh grade exams four times and decided to quit school. He had always loved cooking, often baking treats for his family, but he hated school.
“It’s not a problem to quit school because we know as Palestinians there are few good jobs open to us in Lebanon,” Jihad says.
Most Palestinian refugee youth end up dropping out of school to find a job and earn some money to help support their families. But Jihad was intrigued by the idea of learning pastry skills.
The program is run by ANERA in partnership with several social centers in Lebanon’s refugee camps, thanks to funding from Reach Out To Asia (ROTA). The eight-month vocational training program includes classes in pastry, hairdressing, plumbing, and mobile phone and computer maintenance — skills that can lead to careers for Palestinian refugee youth. To date, 223 students have attended classes.
Source: www.anera.org