In classrooms across Baalbek and Mount Lebanon, children who have fled war and hardship sit side by side with their Lebanese peers, opening books, reciting lessons, and rediscovering what it means to dream again. Behind every one of those hopeful faces stands a teacher — a steady, compassionate guide shaping futures even in the most uncertain times.
Through ADRA’s STAND III initiative, nearly 460 vulnerable children — Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian — are receiving safe, quality education despite ongoing socio-economic shocks and school system disruptions. The program safeguards learning continuity through curriculum-aligned classes, psychosocial support, and caregiver engagement, ensuring children are not left behind.
But none of this would be possible without teachers.
“Our mission is to teach the students the information they need without looking at our income,” saysFatima, a teacher in the school. “Even if our income was very, very, very low in response to the high prices that became around us in Lebanon.”
Despite Lebanon’s economic crisis, these teachers continue showing up, committed to far more than academics. They provide care, structure, and hope to children who have experienced unspeakable tragedy and trauma. Parents notice this devotion.
“Parents are saying thank you with a heart full of love,” shares Fatima. “They see what we did with their kid not even in the education side. We help them in all the life sides. We help them how to face their problems. Every kind of problem they tell us about, we have an answer for. They tell us — you are the second family to our kids.”
The STAND III project ensures children can access their education without financial barriers by covering transportation, snacks, and full educational kits. It integrates enrichment activities like museum visits, nature excursions, and community events to nurture social-emotional growth. Teachers are at the heart of these activities, walking with students every step of the way.
“I like everything about teaching,” says Fatima. “Because we are in high contact with the kids who really need us — to educate them, to tell them how to deal with this hard life.”
This World Teachers’ Day, ADRA honors these remarkable educators in Lebanon and around the world. They are more than teachers. They are protectors. Mentors. Second families. And for all the children they teach, they are the reason learning continues, hope endures, and the future still shines bright.
