At the spark of the Syrian Crisis in 2011, Lebanon witnessed an immense influx of Syrians at its borders, fleeing the atrocities of war to find refuge in a country already mired in political and economic struggles. Over 1.5 million displaced Syrians settled in informal tented settlements and unfinished buildings; half of those displaced were vulnerable Syrian refugee children. With Lebanese public schools being over saturated and lacking the capacity to absorb refugee children so that they are offered a quality education, BBJ partnered with S4L in 2015 to target the most vulnerable out-of-school children and provide informal education. It set up a community center in the South of Lebanon, Tyre district. The community center represents a protection space for 150 Syrian children between the ages of 5 to 15 living in the surrounding camps and gatherings. It offers the following:  

-       Informal education: Arabic, English, Math, Basic Science  

-       Psycho-social support: art therapy, drama, PSS through play 

-       Hygiene raising awareness activities 

-       Parent-child counseling (inside the center and within the camps) 

-       Vocational training and Language (youth ages 15 to 35): Autocad, Basic Computer Skills, English

-       Life skills 

In parallel, Arabic literacy programs are provided to over 200 refugees from all ages within the camps. BBJ also carries out clothes and food parcel distribution on a needs basis.