Lebanon
Community Mobilizing
Ghaymeh: Change-Facilitate-Empower-Collaborate
Ghaymeh is a community mobilizing project in which Community Activists are empowered with tools and skills to lead change towards building cooperation between different communities and establishing inclusive structures for conflict transformation.
Answering to a protracted crisis that is exposing Lebanon's inhabitants to escalating conflict and violence and building on past experiences, the third edition of this Community Mobilizing project, was implemented in partnership with the local organization Women's Program Association (WPA) over a period of 15 months in Beddawi Camp (North Lebanon) and El Buss Camp (South Lebanon).
Through training and mentoring, the project equipped Community Activists with the necessary methods and tools on Conflict Transformation to constructively and proactively address local conflicts. The Community Activists formed working groups from the local community in their locations and worked together to identify local conflicts, analyze them and address on of them with a conflict-sensitive initiative. During the life project, Community Activists and Working Groups implemented social actions based on discussions and analysis conducted on issues pertaining to each camp.
The completion of the project was marked by series of activities aiming to improve the social cohesion among residents, sharing and enhancing their sense of belonging. In Beddawi, the team set up a monthly street market which they called Souq Moukhaimna ("the market, our camp") in which they gave opportunities to residents from different backgrounds and nationalities who lack place of business to display their products and establish dialogue and networks with other residents in the camp. In Al Bass , a series of community mobilizing activities were implemented involving youth and parents, UNRWA schools, health staff and local Community Based Organizations including planting, enhancing public infrastructure, cooking and opening safe spaces for dialogue.
What we do
The project worked with 12 community activists (CAs), who formed a working group and together, created various initiatives. These initiatives aim at improving and building relationships and cooperation between different communities and establishing inclusive structures within them for transforming conflict, leading change, and being active citizens their local and public affairs.
FTN III can be divided into three main phases, each targeting a specific objective:
- CAs are empowered with tools, skills and understandings to motivate various communities to mobilize their society and transform conflicts within them
- CAs can create and manage common spaces with different communities to strengthen communication among them
- Mobilized communities (CAs and working groups) are prepared and included in managing their own public affairs and transform conflicts in their communities.
Previous Community Mobilizing projects:
From 2014 until 2017, we implemented the Future together Now! I (FTN I) project together with our two partner organisations Basmeh & Zeitooneh and LOST. The project included training of community activists from urban and rural environments who acquired skills in conflict transformation, project management and mediation. Mentored by forumZFD, the community activists subsequently supported community initiatives in their respective communities. These individuals take responsibility for and ownership of assessing and addressing their own needs and conflicts. With our Community Mobilising approach we contribute to the establishment of inclusive mechanisms for conflict transformation, social cohesion and joint decision making.
In September 2017, the Future together Now! II (FTN II) project was launched based on the lessons learned during the FTN I project. In cooperation with our local partners March, RDFL, Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, Shift and WeLove we are currently training and mentoring 16 community activists from various social backgrounds. The community activists are going to implement activities addressing local needs and conflicts in their respective communities monitored by forumZFD.
