Our aim at SB OverSeas is prevent a ‘lost generation’ from occurring. We do this through our three schools in Lebanon which provide education to those children who would otherwise not be in an educational setting. Qamar is one of those students.
Qamar is 13 and loves school. She dreams to one day be a women’s rights lawyer and is very spirited, full of laughter and ambition. However, in the past her parents have pulled her out of school various times because they wanted her to assist her mom with household chores, preparing her to be a wife.
They felt that at this age she shouldn’t be in school anymore. After our staff spoke with her parents, explaining the importance of education, especially in this context, they agreed to send her back to school.
Last week, she received her exam results and found out she scored at the top of her year, in fact became first in her class. Upon hearing the news, her parents decided to host a party for her and invited our SB staff and volunteers who had taught her at the center. Her dad teared up as he gave a short speech about how he is proud of his daughter and the next day he sent all of his kids to our center because he wanted them to learn too.
Before, some members of the community sometimes spoke badly of this student because they thought she valued her education too much. Now, people are starting to see her as an example and are telling their children “you should be like Qamar”.
Read more about our schools here. We offer the possibility of volunteers to teach at our schools. Interested? Click here to learn more.
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