The Story of Azima: Distance Learning in Lebanon

Overview & Synopsis

Based in Lebanon, Jusoor's Refugee Education Program has supported out-of-school Syrian refugee children since 2013 with the aim of bringing them back on the path of formal schooling. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all schools and educational centers in Lebanon. To keep students learning, Jusoor switched to an online learning format. This distance learning program was named Azima, or "Determination" as translated from the Arabic, in reference to the refugee children's determination to continue learning despite the adversities they face. Through the program creation, iteration, and transformation, a set of best practices emerged that could be useful for the establishment of distance education in general, and for distance education programs catering to out-of-school children or children coming from a vulnerable background in particular.