News >INCLUSION+ Program Award Distribution Ceremony

The English Access Microscholarship Alumni Program, funded by the US Embassy and executed by Teach for Lebanon, launched the INCLUSION+ program to train, equip, and empower 86 Access alumni to lead community initiatives under the theme of inclusion, during the month of February, in a two-day retreat in the following regions: Mount Lebanon, the North, Bekaa, and South, and Beirut.

The camps produced 23 project plans with inclusion-related themes (inclusion of people with disabilities, migrant workers, marginalized women, street children, ex-female prisoners, refugees, and other excluded communities), and 20 of them received funding of $2000 as a result of the jury's decisions.

The jury included representatives from the U.S. Embassy, representatives from TFL, and subject matter experts including Injaz Executive Director Samar Dani, Makesense Lebanon Country Manager Celine Caudron, VP at the Global Center for Inclusion in Education Salyne El Samarany, design thinking trainer and consultant Aseel Honein, and social innovator and TFL alumnus Fahd Jamaleddine.

On Saturday March 18, 2023 the Access Alumni Program honored the winners of the INCLUSION + Mini-Grants at an award distribution ceremony that took place in Padova Hotel, Sin El Fil, Beirut.

For celebrating the winning projects, the event was attended by the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer Ms. Melissa O’Shaughnessy who gave its keynote, English Language Coordinator, Public Diplomacy Ms. Edith Bitar, and Management Officer Mr. Michael Moise, in addition to TFL’s interim CEO and Access Program Director Mr. George El Assad, Access Alumni Coordinator, Miss Rodaina Boushaheen, and other staff. Members of the broader Access Alumni base in Lebanon, who participated in the Inclusion+ Program overall, were also on hand to cheer the achievements of their winning peers.

After playing the national anthems of Lebanon and the United States of America, Mr. George El Assad, delivered a welcome note addressing the winners before giving the floor to Ms. Melissa O’Shaughnessy, who expressed her gratitude and pride as these empowered Access Alumni will be able to make a positive change in their communities.

A series of videos were displayed, outlining each winning project, its impact, and finally, testimonials on how helpful and engaging the camps were. 

The ceremony closed with the distribution of cheques to the winners, followed by group pictures and a cocktail.