A principals' meeting attended by 20 school principals from various regions of Lebanon was held on February 19, 2022. The main discussion revolved around the work that TFL undertakes through the Fellowship program, the principals’ feedback, as well as the schools’ needs, and potential concerns. All in all, the purpose of this gathering was to lay the groundwork for open-ended communication between TFL and its school partners.

Following an introduction of our program and projects, our CEO, Ms. Salyne El Samarany, provided a quick overview of the challenging educational setting in Lebanon. Next, the school principals introduced themselves and provided positive feedback on the Fellowship: “The quality of education has improved, and the students' attitudes and behavior towards each other and the teaching cadre have changed.” They further added that the program is “energizing, rejuvenating, and useful in the transfer and exchange of expertise.” In fact, several principals expressed a wish to prolong the Fellowship for at least three years and to look into strategies to retain teachers after the Fellowship ended.

Our HR team presented to the audience the TFL's recruitment process, which starts with their selection and ends with their placement in schools. Furthermore, the Education team outlined what the Fellowship is and how it operates, detailing the continuous support and training that Fellows receive from TFL, which starts at the Summer Institute and continues through the Fellowship program through professional development sessions.

The meeting ended with a play therapy session led by actor and Catharsis founder Ms. Zeina Daccache, which served as an opportunity for self-reflection and expression for principals experiencing difficulties as a result of Lebanon's present predicament.