Tahaddi is a Lebanese NGO which has been registered with the Lebanese Ministry of Interior since October 2008 (Association No. 1578)

This association’s purpose is to facilitate access to health, education and psycho-socialservices to socially and economically vulnerable and at-risk populations.

Tahaddi NGO is located in Hay el Gharbeh and the surrounding neighbourhood, a southern suburb of Beirut.

Health and social services - The mission of the Tahaddi Community Health Center (THC) is to be a welcoming entry point for families into the health care system. The THC relies on a qualified multi-disciplinary team that includes doctors, a nurse, a social worker and psychologist who work closely to reach the goal of improved well-being for families. Both curative and preventive services are provided. Consultations are free, while medication and lab exams are provided at the lowest possiblecost. Working with a broad network of service providers, our social service team supports the health goals of the Center but also goes beyond that to meet the wider psychosocial needs of the families through individual and group support. Through our broad network, we are also link families to other needed services. Currently the centre activity serves over 2,300 individual patients. Over 65% of these patient are Syrian refugees while the remaining 35% are Lebanese residents of the area. This includes a proportion of Dom families who are related to the Roma of Europe are among the most socially marginalized communities in the region.

Services include:

  • Free family medicine consultations
  • Minor surgeries
  • Medications provided free or at cost
  • Free vaccinations
  • Affordable lab exams
  • Assistance and financial support with hospitalizations and referral to specialists
  • Family Planning Services
  • Health promotion sessions.
  • Family social support
  • Individual and group mental health services
  • Child protection services
  • Medical and Social Home visits

Education

  • The mission of TEC (Tahaddi Education Centre) is to develop the learning and integration capacities of chidren who are out of school for economic and/or social reasons. The children follow a learning programme that is adapted to their specific needs, with the help of competent educators.Protection is another aspect of the TEC mission; it is donethrough educational activities in collaboration with other NGOs.
  • The vision of TEC is to become a model for socialintegration where young people will gain knowledge, skills and values to be integral and active part of the society

Beneficiaries:

  • The Center accepts unschooled children between the ages of 7 to 14 years old when:
  • It has become clear that with no previous schooling, it is difficult to integrate the children into the public school system
  • The children have dropped out of public schools.
  • The children could not find a place in Public School
  • These children are: Lebanese with a Dom (gypsy) origin or Lebanesechildren, with or without legal papers, and Syrian displaced children.

Between 250 and 300children or young adults are enrolled in our programs. More than 25 staff including educators, social workers, speech therapists, and a psychologist work with the children and the young adults.

In 2012, two Preschool classes for over 30 children, were created in order to prepare younger children to integrate Public School having the social and educational skills required to face the challenges of the Primary grades programs.

The youth who are in their last year in the TEC follow a career orientation programand then possibly integrate avocational training center. They are followed up by the social worker during their training time and supported in finding a job.

Activities

The TECoffers a 4 to 6year-education program, adapted to the specific needs of the children and to their social difficulties. The childrenare divided into several levels. Academic instruction includes: Arabic, Math, English, Life and Earth Sciences, Social Studies, Computer Science, Art and Music, Living Values and Life Skill programs.

Prevention of abuse and various dependencies takes place also through discussion and reflection and/or in partnership with other NGOs like: Himaya, Intersos, Dar el Amal,War Child Holland, Skoun, etc.

A team of social workers follow up the families and the children of the TEC, organizing parenting sessions and offering psycho-social help. They are assisted by the psychologist who works closely with the children, victims of abuses or traumas, and their families.

Empowerment of the community

  • Adults can benefit from Literacy Classes in Arabic, English and Computer.(pic on the left)
  • Sewing classes offer the possibility of learning new skills and recently they have developed into an income generating workshop allowing 10 to 15 women to receive some income for their work (pic below).
  • The Tutoring Program (pic below) aims to help children that are registered in public schools to do their homework in a supportive environment. The educational staff and volunteers assistthe children with theirschoolwork, 5days a week. This program should help decrease the dropout rate of children and prevent them from failing in the public school system. More than 60 children are enrolled in this program.
  • Summer activities include a full program during the month of July for over 200 children: educational activities as well as fun and cultural events take place.