Lebanon (MNN) — In a country tormented by COVID-19, corruption, and financial crisis, SKILD continues to advocate for kids with learning differences.
COVID-19 has shut down schools around the world, and kids with learning differences in Lebanon need extra support.
Hiba Al-Jamal explains the LSESD program helps a lot of different students, both at public and private schools. As COVID-19 has prevented in-person work, SKILD has moved online. “That means whoever is able to do the online session, we continued with them online. That doesn’t cover all the population that we work with, just those who are able in different aspects: financially, internet wise, location-wise, and in terms of their needs.”
A SKILD summer camp picture from 2018. (Photo courtesy of LSESD on Facebook)
It’s a big shift for SKILD, since workers do a lot of one-on-one work with students. Al-Jamal says, “With the online thing, you are far away from the students, so you need the parent’s involvement with you. Whenever the parents were able to support, we were more successful than other areas.” SKILD workers have used a lot of different tactics for different students, like making videos for the kids to watch on their own.
Why Lebanon needs this program
SKILD goes to these great lengths because this program is so necessary. Al-Jamal says, “In the Lebanese educational system, providing support to special needs kids is optional as the government doesn’t have the financial and human resources means to do so at all schools. In many schools, SKILD is providing that support to help those marginalized students continue their educational journey.”
Al-Jamal encourages Christians to pray for this vital work going on in Lebanon. “We set the train on the path, and we don’t want to have COVID-19 or the financial crisis in the country bring us back to the station. We want to continue the journey, so prayers will definitely help us open different paths so we can continue on this journey with special needs kids that deserve every education.”
The work SKILD is doing demonstrates the love of Christ for all people and the power of the Gospel. Pray this work can continue unhindered.
COVID-19 has closed classrooms around the world. (Image by Denise McQuillen from Pixabay)
