Red Oak, in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSrelief), launches the program “Educate and Initiate”, which provides technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to 600 mothers of Syrian and Palestinian children in the in

Red Oak, in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSrelief), launches the program “Educate and Initiate”, which provides technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to 600 mothers of Syrian and Palestinian children in the in West Bekaa.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong opportunities for all, embodies an ambitious and transformative agenda. Within this, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been given greater prominence as a means to equip vulnerable youths and adults with relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
This program also aims to participate in efforts working toward SDG # 5, which focuses on gender equality and women empowerment, prioritizing on Syrian and Palestinian refugee mothers/caregivers. It adopts TVET definition as set out by UNESCO: “Education which is mainly designed to lead participants to acquire the practical skills, know-how and understanding necessary for employment in a particular occupation or trade or class of occupations or trades. Successful completion of such programmes leads to a labor-market relevant vocational qualification recognized by the competent authorities in the country in which it is obtained. (E.g. Ministry of Education, employers’ associations, etc.) (UNESCO 1997, cited in Commonwealth Secretariat 2013, 16)”
In addition to preparing individuals for the world of work by teaching them the skills and competencies needed for economic competitiveness, this program also assumes a degree of responsibility for the personal development of its learners, and for their effective participation in society. For these purposes, a mixed methodology has been developed to provide a wide array of learners with technical skills as well as personal development skills as per their needs and interest.
After completion of the training program, participants will acquire new skills and will be able to do simple business activities, increase the family income to enhance the family’s wellbeing, and help to avoid school dropouts and increase rates of children’s return to school, especially working children.