Alsama Project is a nonprofit organization transforming education for refugee youth in Lebanon with targeted support to adolescent girls. Founded in 2020 in the Shatila refugee camp, Alsama—meaning “the sky” in Arabic—creates meaningful learning pathways for adolescents who have been excluded from formal education. Today, the organization serves 880 students across four centers in Beirut, offering a proven model that prioritizes both academic and personal development.
Lebanon hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. The country’s education system faces significant problems due to factors such as rising poverty and widespread instability. In regions like the Bekaa Valley, which is home to thousands of Syrian refugees, more than 70 percent of school-aged children are out of school, with girls particularly at risk of early marriage, abuse, and economic exploitation. Alsama offers a different path forward. Its accelerated six-year curriculum, developed specifically for displaced learners, helps students build foundational literacy and numeracy and prepares them for higher education. Alongside academic subjects, students take part in classes that promote mental health, gender equality, digital literacy, and leadership.
With support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, Alsama will launch a new one-year initiative to reach 220 refugee youth—145 of them girls—through its high-impact education model. Students will participate in daily classes, receive psychosocial support from trained staff, and build essential life skills. Alsama will also host weekly awareness sessions that will equip students to address challenges such as early marriage, gender-based violence, and mental health stigma.
Through consistent engagement and support, Alsama aims to support girls with the skills and confidence they need to continue their education and chart a brighter future. The organization hopes to not only improve access to quality education, but also to strengthen community resilience and create new opportunities for girls to grow, learn, and lead.
To learn more about Alsama, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
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