Abjad Centre

1. To promote cultural knowledge, art exhibitions and workshops, traditional crafts trainings and more. A public free library holds reference books, encyclopedias, and general culture books. It is at the service of the public and a librarian from the area supervises its management and operations. A reading lounge is also available for individuals to spend their reading and studying times in a quiet environment. 2. Activities to address psychosocial stress include art therapy workshops, focus groups, theatre of the oppressed workshops, and more. Children can spend their time in a safe place away from the dangers of the streets, as they would normally do in Bab Al Tabbaneh due to a lack of public free and safe places. The area’s children enjoy performing recreational and beneficial activities such as gymnastics, karate, and dancing. In addition, the centre also provides after-school intensive tutoring sessions in subjects of the Lebanese curriculum to students who need it. Moreover, awareness sessions are hosted on various issues such as physical and mental health, most common diseases, soft skills, English-language tutoring, and other issues. 3. Offering women of Bab Al Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen vocational training workshops in different areas of specialization have positive long-term effects in terms of initiation of income-generating skills, and thus improvement of standard of living and lowering poverty levels. The workshops conducted at the center in addition to an exhibition area where the women’s products are showcased for sale. Awareness-raising sessions on issues such as health and sexual abuse are held because better knowledge of the women’s health and sexuality (ability to plan marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, child-bearing, protection against STDs) lead to healthier communities.