Welcome to our latest news. In this edition we thought it would be interesting to bring you some individual 'case studies' from two of our current project partners (right); thankyou to YAB and An-Nahda for sharing these with us. Also, thanks to all the alumni who have sent us their news. We've received so much that there isn't enough space for it all in this newsletter, but the best of the rest will appear in future issues.
Keep in touch!
Film Fame
Former Saïd Foundation scholar and prizewinner Ahmad Habash
(MA 3D Computer Animation, University of Bournemouth, 2007) has been featured
by the BBC for directing Fatenah, “the first major Palestinian…animated
movie”. Clips from the film, and an interview with Ahmad, can be
viewed here.
Current Scholars News
Ayman El Hibri(MSc Built Environment, Environmental Design and Engineering, UCL) has been awarded A+ for his project on solar-powered houses (above).
Coming Events...
Arabian Nights at the V&A
Sunday 2nd August 2009
The
Victoria and Albert Museum has now finalised the programme for its
family event Arabian Nights: Free Art Fun Festival. The event is part
of the museum's Arab World Family Learning Programme, supported by the
Foundation. There will be a series of family
activities throughout the day including storytelling, music and dance
performances, art and design workshops, film screenings and more.
Everyone is welcome so come and join in!
The Saïd Foundation is not responsible for the content of any linked websites.
Help us fulfill our mission to bring positive and lasting change to the lives of children and young people in the Middle East. Any contribution, however small, makes a real difference.
Know someone who might be interested in our work?
Child Development Programme
Some personal success stories (names have been changed by request)...
Youth Association of the Blind (YAB), Lebanon:
Fourteen-year-old Nuha lives in Minyeh, north Lebanon and comes from a large family. Her father is a cab driver and her five brothers and sisters all left school after completing primary level. Nuha had never been to a mainstream school and her parents did not want to send her to a special boarding school for blind children. YAB's inclusive education project seemed the perfect opportunity for Nuha to gain an education.
She enrolled at the Nabi Kozayber public school at the end of the 2007/08 academic year. Through her own hard work and the help of the special educator and her schoolteachers, Nuha began to catch up with her classmates. She says: "What I hated most was that people didn't believe I had potential just because I am blind. Now I feel that things are changing. I learned Braille and now I can read by myself. I can do things I never imagined doing; I can even draw."
Nuha is happy to be in school and wants to help improve her family's situation through her own education: "I will study and eventually work and provide for my family. One day I'll make my parents proud; I'll buy my dad a fancy car and even hire him a driver."
An-Nahda Rehabilitation Centre, Palestine:
Abir, eight, has learning disabilities. Unable to keep up with her school work and with no one at home who could provide her with the academic support she needed, she was in danger of dropping out until she joined the special education programme at An-Nahda. Here she benefits from support in language, maths and social skills, and the educators work with Abir's parents and schoolteachers to ensure that she also receives the support she needs at home and at school. The result is a marked improvement in her academic and social skills.
Click here for more information about An-Nahda and the other projects we support.
Alumni News
Nour Al-Takriti (MSc Investments, Birmingham, 2008) performed exceptionally well in her studies and was awarded the Deloitte and Touche Prize for being the best of the 63 students on her course. She is pictured here with Professor David Bailey, Director of Birmingham Business School.
Aline Maalouf's paper on control theory was selected for the Best Student Paper award at the American Control Conference 2009 in St Louis, Missouri, USA in June. Aline (second from right) was one of four finalists.
Darine Hamze (MA Art and Media Practice, Westminster, 2004) recently starred in the Lebanese film The Pearl - Shola Cohen. She now has a main role in a new Syrian TV series to be broadcast in August. She has promised to mention the Foundation in any future Oscar acceptance speeches!
Elie Harfouche (MSc Built Environment: Architectural History, UCL, 2006) was shortlisted for the Visiting Teacher programme at the Architectural Association in June. Now a teacher at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Elie joined 11 other participants from various countries to participate in discussions about teaching and research at the AA, and to develop a debate on aims, strategies and methods of teaching architecture.
