In 2017, Lebanese Alternative Learning (LAL) won the Access category of the EQUALS in Tech Awards with its innovative e-platform, Tabshoura (Arabic for “chalk”). Since then, both LAL and Tabshoura have grown, partly thanks to visibility from winning the award. Read on to find out just some of what LAL and Tabshoura have been up to.
Tabshoura
Developing Tabshoura, a free and accessible e-platform that is available in Arabic, English and French became LAL’s main project. It supports schools and educational centres with its specially designed digital programmes with augmented educational resources.
Currently, 875 institutions are using the e-platform. It has three different modules: Tabshoura Kindergarten (KG), Tabshoura Middle School and Tabshoura Plus. Each module is tailored for different ages and development levels. For instance, Middle School focuses on STEM related subjects, while Plus has broader fields of study, such as arts and environment.
Girls Can Count
Girls Can Count is a project supported by the Malala Fund. The project provides teenage girls with the STEM skills, combatting the stereotype that girls are less skilled in math and science than boys. This project allows girls to access better job opportunities by improving their digital skills.
While this project is ending, its outcomes have been fantastic. Through Girls Can Count, LAL developed more than 200 resources that cover middle school curriculum programming in STEM-related subjects. A second round of funding even allowed the NGO to develop a digital support programme for teachers. So far, over 1,000 women and girls have been positively impacted.
Participants even had the opportunity to meet Malala Yousafzai and Apple CEO Tim Cook, a highlight of the project. During this visit, Malala and Tim Cook met teenage girls benefiting from the Malala Fund and announced a partnership between the fund and Apple, which will offer more than 100K girls free schooling.
Awards
Besides the EQUALS in Tech Awards, LAL has been recognized by other prestigious institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some of them include:
WISE Accelerator 2017-2018
Tabshoura-In-A-Box was selected as a laureate of the 2017-18 edition of the WISE Accelerator. Along with four other EdTech projects, LAL benefited from a year of expertise and guidance from qualified mentors and partners who provide strategic direction and practical support to develop the project further.
World Summit Awards 2019
The World Summit Awards (WSA) is an initiative that sheds light on digital innovations that have positive societal impacts. Every year, WSA rewards 40 initiatives from all over the world in 8 diverse categories, including: government and citizen engagement, health and well-being, education and environment. WSA recognized LAL’s KogniKit for its inclusive innovation.
LAL has also taken part in several conferences and partnership projects.
Visit their website to stay updated on their work.
Photo credit: Lebanese Alternative Learning