A project called “Girls for Change” was inaugurated in Beirut on March 29th. Created by Sam Lahloud, founding chairman of the Beirut Film Society, the project is supported by Unicef, in partnership with Canon and the International Film Festival of Notre Dame University.
Having set up the Beirut Women’s Film Festival, Sam Lahloud has created this new initiative to help women get into broadcasting. It involves adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18, mostly refugees or from host communities. Many come from disadvantaged populations and have been subject to violence and gender discrimination, according to Tanya Chapuisat, head of Unicef in Lebanon. The project’s aim is to enable these young women to achieve financial independence by training them in the audiovisual sector.
The project will be available in five of the country’s eight governorates: North Lebanon, South Lebanon, Beqaa, Mount Lebanon and Beirut.
From April to October 6th trainers will give the young women courses on broadcasting and film-making. At the end of the course participants will produce short films in groups of four. These will be presented in festivals in Lebanon and outside the country.
Source: L’Orient le Jour
