Where love leads… in Lebanon
In Lebanon, one of the ways Tearfund is working to do this is through supporting the Manara Youth Centre.
Lebanon is host to 1.5 million refugees from several different countries, including many people who have fled Syria. But, after living through trauma and loss, facing a context of poverty and lack, and with little hope of going home in sight, many refugees – including teenagers – struggle emotionally and psychologically.
Emotions like fear and anger can become exhausting and overwhelming. And mental health struggles are often a reality for young people who have endured such uprooted and precarious periods of life.
The Manara centre provides a space for young people and their caregivers to receive help to process trauma, manage emotions, and strengthen family bonds. It creates opportunities to bring together Lebanese, Syrian and other communities to bridge social divides through sports, arts and friendly dialogue.
One particular programme the centre runs is called Ambassadors of Peace. It’s designed to help young people learn to communicate across differences, solve complex problems, and start to truly value new perspectives.
One young woman who has found value in a new perspective on her own situation is Rojine*.
Here, she tells some of her story:
Rojine’s story of finding peace
‘I am a Syrian Kurdish girl who should’ve been in tenth grade, but I am currently in eighth grade.
‘I love to draw, crochet, design clothes, and do anything artistic. I would like to be an interior designer someday.
‘I’ve been coming to Manara Youth Centre for a while now.
‘In the past, I was known as the girl who got angry quickly. If someone disagreed with me, I wouldn’t even let them finish their sentence. I always felt like I had to defend myself, and the only way I knew how was by raising my voice.
‘A few people at the centre, especially the youth workers, noticed this about me. They cared enough to encourage me to join the Ambassadors of Peace programme. They said it might help me change.
‘Honestly, I wasn’t very convinced. But some of my friends were joining too, so I thought, why not? At least it’ll be fun.
‘The first session was hard. I remember sitting there wishing I were outside in the hall hanging out with my friends. Even though I’m a talkative person, I didn’t feel like sharing in the beginning. My friends and my sister kept making side conversations, joking around, and I went along with them. I left that day thinking, this isn’t for me.
‘But then the sessions started to get interesting. We began talking about listening, expression and communication, and something about those topics drew me in. I started paying attention, writing notes, and actually trying to understand.
‘At first, I didn’t even notice that I was changing. But people around me did. My friends at the centre told me I was calmer. Miss Jessy, one of the youth workers who’s known me since I first came to Manara, said she could see the difference. Even my teachers at school noticed. They told me, “You’ve really changed since last year.” That meant a lot because I used to cause problems and hurt people with my words.
‘The change didn’t happen overnight; it took time. But now, when I get into an argument, I don’t rush to defend myself or fight back. Instead, I try to listen first. I remind myself that I don’t always have to be right, and that every story has two sides. If a disagreement happens at the centre, I go and talk to a youth worker instead of letting it grow into something worse. We sit together, discuss what happened, and try to understand each other respectfully.
‘Even at home, I’ve started doing the same thing. I talk to my mom or to an older person I trust. I’ve realised that it’s better to seek guidance than to act out of anger.
‘Through the Ambassadors of Peace programme, I learned how to handle conflict without letting it control me. I learned to express myself in ways that bring peace, not more problems. And I discovered that listening can sometimes be more powerful than talking.
*Name has been changed for protection.
More about Manara
The psychosocial support programme provides a safe space for young people and caregivers to heal and grow. Participants learn vital tools to manage stress, build empathy, and break the stigma surrounding mental health – especially during difficult times. Through group sessions and one-on-one support, participants develop healthy coping skills.
The recreational programme transforms the Manara Centre into a vibrant hub where young people can relax, stay active, and just be themselves. Whether through team sports like football or creative classes like cooking, music, and drama, young people have a safe space to discover new talents and build lasting friendships.
With year-round drop-in sessions and an energetic seven-week summer programme, the centre helps young people bridge social divides and grow in confidence together.
Environmental Sustainability initiatives enable young people to become active stewards of their local environment. Participants lead hands-on projects to green their streets and improve their neighbourhoods. These activities help them work together and build strong leadership skills.
A few statistics about refugees in 2025
- In the past year, 5.4 million people became refugees, while 4.4 million refugees returned to their countries of origin – in fact, that’s the second highest number of returning refugees since records began 60 years ago! However, it bears pointing out that many of these return journeys occurred under pressure and to uncertain and unsafe conditions.
- In 2025, more than 70 per cent of the world’s refugees originated from Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela.
- The countries hosting the largest number of refugees were Colombia, Germany and Türkiye.
