Louma Albik

SB OverSeas began as community effort amongst concerned citizens in Brussels who decided to intervene in the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Syria. As these efforts grew in involvement and impact, something became increasingly obvious: providing a safe environment for children was a short-term solution, but there was no long term hope for a generation of kids who had had their education interrupted by the war. It became clear that an entire generation of children w In Lebanon, we are present in Arsal, Saida and Beirut and through our schools and centres, we aim to equip those fleeing conflict with the education and professional training needed to regain control of their lives and flourish. We aim to prevent a so-called 'lost generation'​ through providing access to education for children who have fallen out of the education system due to the ongoing Syrian conflict. Our catch-up schools aim to equip children with the skills needed to access formalised schooling in Lebanon. Our centers provide a safe place for girls and women to take part in a variety of personal developmental activities. These activities have the aim of alleviating the trauma faced by many of the women and to prevent the increasingly prevalent practice of child marriage. Furthermore, we also provide vocational and professional training programmes which allow women to access the labour market and financially empower them. From the SB OverSeas headquarters in Brussels, we coordinate the volunteering and advocacy programs. Being in the heart of Europe, SB OverSeas uses this location to raise awareness about the situation caused by this humanitarian crisis. In addition to this, we run two programs in Brussels aimed at increasing inclusion and integration into the Belgium society: SB Espoir and S'engager pour la Paix.