The STEM for Refugees program that is developed in partnership with The Little Engineer International brings quality 21st century learning to address both emergency needs as well as long term and quality based learning to Syrian refugee children and youth living in Lebanon. Through this patented program, refugee students learn to apply STEM and Robotics concepts through hands-on, experiential and contextual learning experiences leading to solutions that are applicable in their daily lives. This program aims to create a generation of community actors who are well equipped to contribute to the rebuilding of Syria by also nurturing citizenship values. In the last two years, over 300 students have completed this program and have addressed real-life problems with low-cost STEM-based solutions such as a sensor-activated gate to improve security in refugee camps, a solar powered crane to aid with trash collection in the vicinity and a cost-effective water filtration device. The program has also played a key role in bringing STEM and robotics education to female learners with a gender balanced cohort every year. This program aims to be the building block towards equipping learners with out of the box, practical, sustainable and effective solutions to become agents of change within their communities.

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• Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

• Youth
• Women
• The unemployed
• Refugees and internally displaced people

This project is easily replicable in formal as well as non-formal education institutions where students can benefit from STEM,Robotics and citizenship education. This program focuses on integrating community-action as a critical motivation for applying the STEM concepts that students acquire. Further, the lessons are developed with a focus on mobility, with a Blended Learning and ICT-based approach to learning and an easily transportable tool kit to build the devices. Therefore, this program's curriculum and design can easily be implemented across a variety of contexts. Here are some replicable benefits of this program :

1. STEM is in demand. The primary driver of future economy and job creation is innovations derived from STEM-related fields as stated by most trends and projections.
2. There is an urgent need to direct education interventions towards relevant skills and knowledge for better opportunities and future employability especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized students.
3. STEM jobs do not all require higher education or even a college degree. Less than half of entry-level STEM jobs require a bachelor's degree while others require STEM vocational education.
4. STEM education provides equal access to boys and girls and inspire them to pursue it at any level. Even for those who are not inclined to pursue STEM-related career or vocations, STEM literacy proves to be essential as life skills across all disciplines.
5. It is also a great source to empower teachers with improved professional skills and innovative knowledge.
6. STEM education is vital for the reconstruction phase post any conflict.
7. STEM education nurtures citizenship values.

The key objectives of this program are to empower and inspire young refugee and vulnerable learners to commit to education and pursue STEM-related vocations or careers as well as to empower teachers through STEM literacy and teaching and contribute in improving their technical and professional skills. By doing so, this program not only facilitates ICT learning but also focus on improving the existing knowledge base and infrastructure necessary to create the required enabling environment for STEM and Robotics education.

The program will be focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) by applying 5 Cs - Connect, construct, contemplate, complicate and continue. The course outline focuses on inquire-based learning where students begin with identifying and defining a problem that they face in their day-to-day lives. Next, the curriculum focuses on a variety of STEM concepts that are delivered through a blended learning approaching, involving both digital and hands-on learning. Next students work to apply the STEM concepts they have learned towards a realistic solution to the initial problem they identify. Lastly, TLEI provides a tool-kit of building blocks and circuits to create a prototype of this solution. Students test their solution in the environment once they develop the model.

This model has long term impact as it not only fosters STEM & Robotics knowledge but creates a generation of inquiry-based thinkers with critical thinking, problem solving, innovation and collaboration skills who are motivated to improve their futures.

The STEM for Refugees is developed based on Sonbola's commitment to SDG4. Beyond the provision of advanced STEM and Robotics education, this program also develops the digital literacy of participants as it divided between an ICT-based online platform and a hands-on practical experimentation model. This contributes towards removing barriers to access to knowledge that leads to creating an information society for all. Further, this program is based on inclusion. Students who participate in this program as a mix of children and youth who are presently enrolled in formal education as well as those who are out of school. Students who are not enrolled in formal education in these refugee communities are particularly vulnerable to child marriage and child labour and this program has played a critical role in fostering the interest of students in not only science learning but inspires them to re-enter the education pipeline. This program also ensures a gender balance between male and female learners in all cohorts promoting the access to quality education to vulnerable girls as well. By bringing STEM Education and Robotics to refugee communities, this program also focuses on building the capacity of these communities as well as creating an enabling environment for ICT education. This program is provided in the Sonbola Learning Center that is based in Anjar, Bekaa. The Bekaa region has the highest density of the refugee population in Lebanon and Sonbola also provides transportation to students to and from the Center to their homes. This ensures access to this program to the most in-need populations and focuses on equitable participation of all in this program without discrimination. Lastly, this program also addresses WSIS values of building confidence in the use of ICTs as well as bringing the benefits of ICT to daily life for beneficiaries. As lesson outcomes are focused on solving everyday problems, the STEM for refugees program directly applies ICT and science education to the lives of learners.