A Winter Visit to Noor Academy

Board President, Amine, visited Noor Academy on a cold day in February, bring hats donated by our partners. Though the temperatures inside and out were chilly, the welcome he received from the staff and children truly warmed his heart.

The school lost about 50 children after the regime change in Syria. A decision was made not to fill the vacancies with wait-listed students as it would be too disruptive to the class and too difficult for them to keep up. We will offer them admittance in the fall when the programs will start again.

At Noor Academy, four classes are taught at each grade level, including Arabic, English, Math, and Science. The photo above shows the children learning their Arabic letters with modeling clay, a wonderful sensory-integrative way to teach!

Amine was able to meet with all the staff and all the children, plus he met with several parents during his February visit. The photo, above, is him with the morning staff. They are a dedicated and hard-working bunch, particularly our director, Amira, who leaves home at 6:00 am and often doesn’t return home until 5:00 pm. When not working, she might be found visiting some of the refugee families who are experiencing acute crises or trauma. Noor Academy is grateful for her leadership and commitment.

It’s hard to tell who is having more fun, Amine or the kids!

What’s Next?

The situation in both Lebanon and Syria remains volatile. Recently Israel has restarted attacks in both countries when the ceasefire with Hamas collapsed.

Many of you have expressed an interest in touring Lebanon, visiting the school, and perhaps doing some volunteer work over there. We would love to plan such a trip, but given the instability it is not currently feasible.

Board News

     We welcome Lee Anderson-Harris to our Board!  Read about the talent she brings to us on our website.

If you are interested in joining as a board member, please feel free to contact us!

Your Support is Appreciated

As always, your individual donations and your help spreading the word and alerting us to any grants is appreciated more than you know. Donate Online

Or donate by mail: Noor El-Salam, PO Box 45, Hygiene, CO 80533. We will continue to work for peace and to give children hope through education and love.

Gratefully,

Amine & Noor El-Salam Board