International Medical Corps (IMC) and UNICEF have joined forces to develop 25 Child-Friendly Schools in some of Lebanon's most vulnerable regions. The Child-Friendly School concept seeks to promote a holistic approach to education, through activities that advocate good health and hygiene, initiatives to ensure children's physical and emotional well-being, and environments that are conducive to learning.

UNICEF's $ 2.7 million grant to IMC will benefit an estimated 6,000 children, aged 3-15, living in 25 villages covering four regions of Lebanon that have historically struggled with poverty and instability or were affected by last summer's conflict.

An IMC assessment of 45 schools in the districts of Akkar, Hermel, Baalbek, and South Lebanon, conducted between November 2006 and March 2007, found a high rate of aggression and attention problems among students; it also revealed that there had been a significant drop in grades following the summer 2006 war. The study found several factors that might be inhibiting learning and child development. Teachers and administrators alike had little training or skills in dealing with mental health issues. Corporal punishment was used excessively. Play areas were nothing more than concrete spaces, with no grass or equipment for recreation. Most schools had no potable water available, no resting place for sick children, and no toilets. Furthermore, communication between the school and the children's parents was very limited. As a result, communities did not feel a sense of ownership of their schools.

"I am very pleased that UNICEF has recognized IMC's recovery efforts in Lebanon and has offered us the opportunity to expand upon those efforts with this grant," said IMC President & CEO Nancy Aossey. "The partnership between IMC and UNICEF will help make education in Lebanon a positive, fruitful experience for students, teachers, and parents in some of Lebanon's most challenging regions."

IMC's new program, which began earlier this month, will dramatically re-shape 25 of these schools, transforming them into stimulating educational environments conducive to learning and development. To achieve these goals, IMC, in collaboration with Lebanon's Ministry of Education and UNICEF, plans to train teachers to understand and identify behavioral problems in children and address them creatively; to offer teachers health education and first-aid training; to rehabilitate playgrounds and provide schools with toys and recreational equipment; and to encourage parents to become involved in decisions about their children's health and well-being both at school and in the community.

"We are proud to associate ourselves with IMC in this partnership, which we hope will give a significant boost to education in the most deprived areas in Lebanon," said Roberto Laurenti, Representative, UNICEF Lebanon Country Office. "This initiative is an extension of UNICEF's existing Adopt-a-School concept, which takes a holistic approach to meeting the needs of children affected by poverty through customized initiatives at the community grassroots level. Programs delivered through the schools aim to reduce drop-out rates and improve the quality of education, as well as address children's health and psychosocial needs."

IMC was one of the first international NGOs to begin relief activities in Lebanon in July 2006, in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war between Hezbollah and Israel. Since launching operations there, IMC has rehabilitated approximately 40 health clinics and six water reservoirs damaged in the conflict, in addition to establishing nine child-friendly play spaces.

International Medical Corps is a Santa Monica-based global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide.

UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.