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Programme to support population in need, Lebanon and other Middle East countries, 1996-2010.

Posted on 1 Aug 2008 by:

Foundation for the Social Promotion of Culture (Fundacion Promocion Social de la Cultura) [NGO]

Location: Beirut, the Bek�a, Kab Elias, Lebanon

Topic: Not specified

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Description (methodology, techniques and strategies used)

Since 1996 the Spanish NGO Foundation for the Social Promotion of Culture (FPSC), and the Lebanese NGO arcenciel (aec), are designing and implementing Development Projects to improve the quality of life of disabled people and youth. For this purpose nine projects have been or are developed in the area for a total budget of 7,221,000 euros, being the main donor the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID). The mentioned projects are the following:

1997-1998: Construction of a medical-social-training centre and implementation of a plan for the re-adaptation and social integration of disabled people, in the regions of Great Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
1998-1999: Implementation of a programme for the re-adaptation and social integration of disabled people in the Bek�a, Lebanon; and institutional reinforcement of aec.
1999-2001: Construction and setting up of the aec training school for disabled people, Beirut.
2001-2003: Creation of a centre for youth in the Bek�a, Lebanon; and institutional reinforcement of aec.
2002-2003: Implementation of artistic, cultural and training activities for young Lebanese people; and institutional reinforcement of aec.
2003-2004: Project to obtain for young Lebanese people a better working and social insertion.
2004-2005: Programme to support youth and job creation in the rural area of Kab Elias, Lebanon.
2006-2009: Improvement of education in Middle East: Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Egypt
2006-2010: Improvement of the life conditions of disabled people in Middle East: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Egypt.

These projects, on top of being a direct to support to the beneficiaries, have been acknowledged by the Lebanese Government, following the first of the Partnerships Commitments of the March 2005 Paris Declaration: Ownership. This recognition is clear in the following examples:

The Protection Plans and Politics for Disabled approved by the Social Affaires Minister (MOSA), Lebanon, are based on the FPSC-aec activity, following the "Rights & Access" Programme, which is an aec initiative to obtain the reconnaissance of the legal rights of disabled people, as an answer to the lack of legislation in this area.
The youth hostels created by aec-FPSC have joined the hostels international network, and the Youth and Sports Minister, Lebanon, admitted aec work by awarding this NGO with the Vice-Presidency of the Lebanese Youth Hostels Federation.
After the success of the agricultural job creation project in the rural area of kab elias created by FPSC-aec in 2005, the Lebanese ministry of economy trusted aec to develop a national project to improve the Lebanese agricultural competitiveness.

Furthermore, arcenciel reputation and the programs efficiency has generated requests from many countries all over the world. Today, many programs mainly for youth are being implemented in 3 neighbouring countries, prove of the strength and durability of the partnership between FPSC and aec.

For these purposes, FPSC has followed its own strategy of working under a stable partnership among the civil societies of North and South, in order to create strong Development Agents, able to promote the implementation of successful working practices. These are "best practices" that may be used as models, so through this work, it becomes possible to have a real influence on the public policies designed by the governments, not only in one country, but in the region, encouraging a new form of cooperation North-South-South. This is following clearly the 15th article of the mentioned Paris Declaration: "Donors commit to respect partner country leadership and help strengthen their capacity to exercise it."

FPSC believes in the enormous strength of a well designed civil society, with technical and financial supports, so that it may implement initiatives to improve the quality of life of the society itself. FPSC believes also in the very positive impacts that these initiatives may cause when they are taken into account by the governments. To obtain it, the following is necessary:

To count on stable sources of funds, for the economical support, in the medium and long term.
To create a stable and confident partnership among North and South organizations, in the medium and long term.
To bet on the institutional reinforcement of these organizations as a basic component to develop the right policies in the medium and long term.
To work in coordination and alignment with both side governments in order to influence on public policies.

Implementation methodologies

What is innovative about this approach/tool/project

aec bases the implementation of these projects on three main pillars:

1st: The idea of "Sustainable Development":

Environmentally: The projects activities must be respectful to natural resources, so these may be reached by future generations.
Socially: The projects must represent an answer to a social worry, they must fit to the needs identified by people in need, and include them in the process of developmental actions.
Economically: aec activities must generate profits, in order to reach the maximum level of financial independence.

2nd: The synergy generated among the field and community work , the institutionalization and the national policies

3rd: The importance of the interactions: to promote the differences allows exploring the higher number of paths, and it allows always innovation. The person in need working for the person in need is a guarantee of the integrity of the action, as it is itself the one who may evaluate the problems and the corresponding solutions. At the same time, using the New Technologies assures efficiency , economy and coherence.

Evidence of results and impact

On top of the evidence which is the Appropriation by the local Government commented above, the following figures are provided:

Total beneficiaries: Direct: 61,150. Indirect: more than 300,000
Services provided: more than 500,000
Operational Centres for disabled running: 6
Operational Centres for youth and running: 6

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