The Elderly Sponsorship Program supports the older generation of our community. Living conditions in the camps present unique challenges to the elderly, and many face issues such as depression, social isolation, and other threats to their health and well-being. In order to meet their needs, NISCVT piloted its first elderly support project in January 2014 with generous assistance from sponsors in the Finnish Arab Friendship Society (FAFS). Our priority is to help our elderly to live with dignity, receive needed support, and become integrated with the community as a whole.
This program supports the elderly through our social workers, who provide direct aid and connect beneficiaries in cooperation with the broader community. The sponsorship helps NISCVT offer the elderly unique activities to keep them active, healthy, and engaged, in addition to addressing social isolation by including them in our other activities such as cultural events and picnics. It also helps provide them with needed health services, including mental health and other needs.
As a sponsor, you will enrich the life of an elderly person by helping to create a space for him/her to socialize with others and participate in activities appropriate for their age. You will also empower them to access holistic support and live with dignity. Please consider making a donation and help us reach a greater number of beneficiaries in the refugee camps. All donations, large or small, one-time or regular, will make an impact and go towards making a life-changing difference for an elderly person.
Elderly Sponsorship: US$360 per year, US$30 per month
The elderly sponsorship Money is distributed as a total sum for the Elderly persons.
Sponsorship of Multiple Special Needs children:
The MSN, Multiple Special Needs project designed as part of the Family Guidance Centers services to assist, support and refer children with special needs to special education programs has been pursued during the school year 2017-2018 and at the beginning of the school year 2018-2019 with the remaining funds of the budget from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland through our partners the Finnish Psychologists for Social Responsibility and the Finnish Arab Friendship Society. Individual contributions aiming to cover the tuition fees of a number of children with special needs were also received to assist a number of children in their schooling.
This program offered the possibility of a medical support and medicines provision in addition to coverage of medical tests and medical check up needed for some children. The table below shows the number of sponsored children during the year 2017-2018 and beginning of 2018-2019 for schooling and for medical follow-up.
Number of children sponsored through the project:
|
|
Beirut |
El Buss |
SAIDA |
BEDDAWI |
NahrElBared |
TOTAL |
|
Schooling of children with special needs |
72 |
17 |
13 |
18 |
23 |
143 |
|
Number of children sponsored through individual
contributions |
23 |
01 |
08 |
00 |
00 |
32 |
|
Number of children sponsoredfor medical assistancein
the 5 MH clinics |
106 |
A direct relation between the main partners supporting this component (FiPSR, FiAFS in Finland, PalCh in Switzerland and Christian Codrai Foundation) and the family of the sponsored children was reinforced through meetings whenever the sponsors were in field visits to Lebanon. Some of the receiving schools were also visited, mainly Al Tanmia Al Fikria in Beirut. At the beginning of the school year 2017-2018 Christian Codrai foundation, Italy decided to restart its individual sponsorship for three children.
PalCh continued its individual school sponsorship for 8 children. The Finnish psychologists for Social Responsibility and the Finnish Arab Friendship society continued their individual sponsorship for 17 children through groups or individuals in Finland. This contribution helped those children to be integrated in school programs that are suitable to their capacities. The centers compiled annual progress reports to the sponsors. Finnish, Italian and Swiss NGOs prepared a review of these progress reports.(2)
The sponsored children are usually referred to more than 40 special education schools and centers all over Lebanon as seen in the table below. Another number of children in need for sponsorship are on the waiting lists.