LEBANON / REFUGEE STUDENT

A twelve-year-old refugee student discovered a gift for mathematics thanks to his Lebanese professor. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:47
• Production Date: 18 September 2018
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 2237282
• Parent Id: 2237282
• Alternate Title: unifeed180918c

Description

STORY: LEBANON / REFUGEE STUDENT
TRT: 1:47
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ARABIC /NATS

DATELINE: 7 AUGUST 2018, SARAFAND, LEBANON

Shotlist

1. Various shots, Abdel doing math on blackboard
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I dream of growing up and becoming a scientist discovering the world around me.”
3. Various shots, Abdel showing math to other students
4. Tilt down, Abdel and Abbas walking downstairs
5. Wide shot, Abdel and Abbas sitting on a bench
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Maana, Lebanese teacher:
“When I first met Abed I could tell he had intellectual abilities. He was smart but lacked self-esteem.”
7. Close up, Abdel and Abbas talking
8. Pan left, Abbas playing football with students
9. Wide shot, students playing on a playground
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Maana, Lebanese teacher:
“Regardless of nationality or background, we want to shed light on each kid’s capabilities and empower his or her skills.”
11. Various shots, Abbas sitting with Abdel and his father in their home
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I wasn’t good at school but now I am top of my class because of him.”
13. Med shot, Abdel riding bicycle towards his teacher
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I learnt from Professor Abbas a lot of values, including not to give up and to help others.”
15. Close up, Abdel and Abbas talking
16. Zoom out, Abdel and Abbas racing

Storyline

A twelve-year-old refugee student discovered a gift for mathematics thanks to his Lebanese professor.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I dream of growing up and becoming a scientist discovering the world around me.”

But Abed’s talent might have gone unnoticed, If not for his Lebanese teacher Abbas.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Maana, Lebanese teacher:
“When I first met Abed I could tell he had intellectual abilities. He was smart but lacked self-esteem.”

Abbas is a fellow with Teach For Lebanon, an NGO supporting education
in Lebanon’s public and semi-private schools. It helps more than 5,000 Lebanese and Syrian children with their schooling.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Maana, Lebanese teacher:
“Regardless of nationality or background, we want to shed light on each kid’s capabilities and empower his or her skills.”

Abbas visits Abed’s family regularly.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I wasn’t good at school but now I am top of my class because of him.”

Abed says his Lebanese teacher empowered him so that one day, he can go back to Syria and make his country proud.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdel Razzaq, 12-year-old Syrian refugee:
“I learnt from Professor Abbas a lot of values, including not to give up and to help others.”

Lebanon hosts some 987,000 registered refugees from Syria’s seven-year conflict, of whom 490,000 are children of school age (from three to 18 years old). About 220,000 Syrian children attend lessons in public schools – either in morning classes alongside Lebanese pupils or second-shift classes dedicated to Syrians.

Teach For Lebanon is an NGO that seeks to improve the quality of education in public schools and semi-private schools in Lebanon. Since 2009, TFL has been employing, training and placing Lebanon’s top-notch graduates in under-resourced schools in a mission to minimize the educational gap with private schools. TFL has partnered with 28 schools across Lebanon, helping more than 5,000 Lebanese and Syrian refugee children.