Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA’s Early Education and Women's Empowerment project supports vulnerable refugee camp communities in Beirut. Along with their partner in Lebanon, Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA have supported education and women’s empowerment in Beirut’s refugee camps for more than two decades.
This project provides early childhood education and promotes social and educational development for children with disabilities. Refugee children in Bourj Al Bourajneh camp are provided with essential early education to promote their educational success in the UNRWA school system.
The project also empowers women through holistic casework, practical support and education. It provides mothers with free time to engage in paid or domestic labour.
The project has allowed hundreds of children access their right to education, been a place for women to meet and create support networks, welcomed Syrian refugees fleeing war with practical support and been a hub for organising health and social campaigns in the camp. A total of 523 people, including 214 women and 153 girls (48 with disability) are expected to be supported by this project in 2016-2017.
This project is led by Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA and is funded through Australian Aid from the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). In 2015-16 through the ANCP, Australian Aid supported 19 NGOs to deliver 9 projects in 20 countries focusing on supporting early childhood development and women’s empowerment.