The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in line with its strategy to support Armenian educational institutions in Lebanon, donated 650 tablets and 50 laptops to the 17 Armenian schools in the country.
The multiple lockdowns due to Covid-19 have made online learning a crucial component of educational practice worldwide. And yet, thousands of students in Lebanon could not adequately follow online classes due to the lack of equipment.
The severe economic crisis and instability, coupled with the devastation caused by the August 2020 Beirut Port explosion that led to substantial damage and financial loss within the Armenian community, meant that many families and schools lacked the means to provide the necessary equipment to students to follow their courses.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation continues to work with Armenian educational institutions in Lebanon. The current donation of IT equipment is one component of its support to the Armenian educational sector. The Foundation also supports various other initiatives to ensure the vitality of the Western Armenian language.