Centers
FEATURING niScvt CentersS
BOURJ EL SHEMALI CENTER
Location:
The camp is located in Southern Lebanon, 3 Kilometers to the East of Tyre city.
History:
The camp was established in 1955 in the Northern section of Bourj El Shemali village. Its area is about 135,000 square meters with a population of approximately 19,000 inhabitants. Up until 1956, part of these inhabitants whom originally came from Northern Palestine, were living near the town of Marjouyun in the South while the other part was in the town of Anjar in Bekaa. UNRWA rented the present land from the Lebanese Government and moved the people to the present camp. The camp is situated in the middle of a rural area surrounded by orange groves and plantations. Several Palestinian gatherings are also in close vicinity of the camp.
Camp Conditions
I. Social Condition:
In general Bourj El-Shemali is considered the poorest camp with an unemployment rate of approximately 65% among men and 90% among women who either work in the fields for lower wages than men or as house maids. Consequently, most youth are seizing every opportunity available to emigrate from Lebanon in hope of securing better prospects for themselves and their families.
Housing conditions are miserable with approximately 400 houses in poor repair, mostly with zinc roofs which leak during winter and cause excessive heat during summer, which is the root cause of an abundance of health problems among the camp inhabitants.
The camp lacks the facility of playgrounds and recreational amenities for children and youth who must be contented with the narrow paths of the camp as an outlet for their energies.
II. Educational Conditions:
UNRWA runs two schools inside the camp for the girls and one school at the camp's border for boys. These schools lack all of the facilities and resources necessary to ensure students graduate with a good educational level; with average success rates never exceeding 25% in the official exam which reflects the unacceptable condition of the schools and the education they are providing. As a result of this situation, a large number of students drop-out from school and tend to work in the fields or take odd jobs that need no specific skills.
As for the secondary education, the only school that the students can attend is one inside the Rashidieh camp. While university education is out of reach for most people due to the high expenses involved.
Beit Atfal Assumoud Center:
Beit-Atfal-Assumoud social cultural center in Bourj El-Shemali was opened in 1987. It employs 14 people and also benefits from the hard work of many volunteers.
Services:
The center provides the following services for orphaned children and others from families categorized as hardship cases:
Family Happiness Project: This project consists of the sponsorship plan for children and families who have lost their primary income provider. Monthly financial assistance is offered to 159 children in 89 families.
Distributed as follow:
Number of families, number of children: males, females, number of employees
• 68 families in Bourj El-Shemali: 155 children, 80 male, 75 female, 2 employees
• 17 families in El-Buss: 38 children, 18 male, 20 female, 1 employee.
The staff of the center follow-up disadvantaged families in Bourj El-Shemali and El-Buss camp, as well as other Palestinian gatherings along the coast line between Tyre and Saida. These areas are Kassmiah, Abo Al-Aswad, Jall Al-Bahar and Al-Wastah.
Besides the financial monthly support through the sponsorship program, other projects are also provided through different programs and activities, which include vocational training, educational and cultural programs, and recreational activities such as sports, art, scouts and summer camps. In addition some programs are designed to address the special needs of women.
Kindergarten project:
Number of children: females, males, number of teachers
• 77 children: 36 female, 41 male, 3 permanent teachers, 1 volunteer
The Dental Clinic:
Launch Date: March 1997
• Employees: 1 doctor & 1 nurse
• The dental clinic offers its services to 6 Kindergartens, children and the staff
• Number of children treated: 600
The Dental education program instructs youth and adults in good oral hygiene practice.
Support: Distribution of toothpaste and milk for all kindergartens