Pre-professional clubs

In Lebanon, more than 25 000 children aged between 11 and 14 years don’t go to school
These children live in a difficult environment; they are part of large families and face many problems such as poverty, illiteracy, violence, alcoholism. No one encourages them to pursue their education; they have no future to look forward to. Furthermore, Law 686/98amended article 49 to make education free and compulsory for primary school (elementary) to all citizens. However, the law does not discuss the mechanisms or the steps that will be taken to ensure primary education to all citizens.

Mouvement Social takes action
They are children aged between 11 and 14 years old, they left school at an early age or never been there. They spend their time on the streets or they are obliged to work under difficult conditions with no respect to their rights, in order meet their families’ needs.
 In such difficult circumstances, Mouvement Social intervenes to ensure an alternative education to those children. It’s a chance to avoid marginalization and to quit labor market. Since 1999, Mouvement Social is present in the most deprived regions of Sin El Fil, Tripoli, Zahlé and Jnah to host those children in pre-professional clubs (PPC). These structures will help them break the vicious circle of poverty and hope for a better future.

An alternative education
The social workers and the educators at Mouvement Social’s PPC offer an education based on the needs of those children. They follow literacy courses, math, science, foreign language and get the chance to learn about their rights. Mouvement Social introduces PPC children to jobs, through interactive activities, and visits to the work places. Children become more aware of the types of jobs most likely to be available in the future (taking into consideration their capacities, capabilities and their environment). They can follow a vocational training at Mouvement Social once they are 15 years old, and get a certificate that will help them integrate the labor market with the necessary social and professional skills.

Entertaining activities
Mouvement Social organizes many entertaining activities for the PPC children such as: summer camps, theater outings and trips, museum visits, exchange meetings among PPC children from different regions.

Our Team in the PPC
Social workers at Mouvement Social give individual attention to each child and keep contact with his parents, in order to provide him with an education that meets his needs.
Furthermore, counseling sessions, drawing and theater activities in the PPC help children express themselves and increases the chances of their integration.

Because education is a right
Mouvement Social is not only offering an alternative education for marginalized children. Through PPC, the association is proving to those children that education is not a privilege but a right that poverty cannot banish. From now on, PPC children can take their future in their hand.