I have been trained with my colleagues on Media Literacy and photo shooting techniques. During the training, I felt a lot of comfort and positivity and a participatory environment prevailed. During the project phases, I felt more serious and responsible, especially when I worked with my colleagues on rehabilitating the natural reserve in Kfar Zabad where I felt that I was contributing effectively to my community and appreciated team work. During the second phase of the project which was the TOT, I got to know youth from the areas of Qubayyat and Bireh which was a great opportunity to get to know and become close friends with youth from different backgrounds. Moreover, the TOT provided me with higher self-confidence and I started expressing my opinion in front of my family and community and felt that I was better able to get engaged in the community. This project enabled me to think critically about media messages especially that my family watches one TV station only… today, I analyze information before judging on the content.

When I was selected to be part of the “New Media” project in partnership with UNESCO, I couldn’t imagine that it could be such an added value to my life, especially in dealing with students at school, in such a marginalized area. First of all, I was worried about driving to Beirut 4 to 5 hours a day back and forth. On the other hand, I had a concern about the training itself. Would be a lecture? Well, it didn’t take long before the trainers proved the opposite. The training helped me understand media in a different way, be critical, and try to highlight issues of a marginalized area such as Aita Shaab. The most important part is that this training helped me to trust youth and their abilities to be creative and change. This was reflected in the project they did.

I have participated with Dawaer Foundation in the project “New Media Youth” in the area of Qubayat on Media Literacy, photo shooting and production using mobile phones. This project changed my whole life!! Taking part in the production of a video with some colleagues that revealed the beauty of my village has opened so many doors and opportunities where I participated in an interview on MTV to talk about my experience. During the second phase of the project, I took part in a TOT training on Media Literacy after which I trained around 50 youth between 15 and 17 years. This was the best thing I have done in my life especially that the trainees were interested in the topic and requested to participate in similar activities. “New Media Youth” has changed my life and enabled me to join the “Association for Arab Educators” to become part of the communication committee during the first Educational Gulf Union that took place in Lebanon that has raised my self-esteem especially that I have created five videos for the union. Currently, I feel more responsibility towards my community and follow up with my colleagues at the Media Literacy Club on producing videos that reflect on the challenges in our community especially those related to youth.