Public schools were closed, used as shelters for thousands of displaced families. The government is working hard to reestablish Lebanon's former high educational standards, but public schools still lag behind. On the meager income from their sandwich stand, the Soleimans struggle to pay tuition for their four children at the Tarakki Institute, a school run by the Syrian Orthodox Church. At least there, the world knows people are in need. Here, we have an appearance of affluence that does not exist.
Life is more expensive than it ever was during the war.
Tarakki Institute Administrator George Makdessi says the school is fully subsidizing more than half of its 400 students. World Vision contributes to the tuition of some 356 sponsored children in the school, including the Soleiman children. But inflation and rising expenses are taking their toll. However, without these donations most of the 54 schools World Vision supports would have difficulty staying open. Grassroots environmental organizations like Greenline are working hard to teach Lebanese youth about environmental protection, reforestation, animal protection, and agricultural development.