UN ESCWA

PROJECT PRESENTATION

ƒ THE E-CARAVAN

The E-Caravan-Phœnix is a fully equipped mobile computer and internet school, aimed to empower the local
communities in the formerly occupied areas of South Lebanon through teaching computer and IT skills,
especially for youth, women and persons with disabilities. In January
2006, Fondation Saradar in partnership with UNESCWA launched the
E-Caravan project. The project builds on the original E-Caravan project
the vehicle which was destroyed on 29 July 2006 while parked at the
Intermediary School of Ayta Al-Shaab in South Lebanon.
The new E-Caravan is equipped with a network of ten PCs with flat
screens, one laser printer, one LCD projector with screen, two satellite
connection modems, an air-conditioning system, a water dispenser, and
other accessories. The E-Caravan-Phœnix also includes a ramp that
facilitates the access of physically disabled persons and special
software to provide the blind and the visually impaired with the necessary IT knowledge. The content of the
different training sessions is based on the needs of the target population. The courses range from ones
specifically for beginners to courses for future trainers and for small and medium enterprises. Sessions will
be offered 6 days a week, and will last for two to four hours. Sessions will include up to eight participants at a
time, allowing for a close learning relationship between the trainer and the participants.
A website network will be created through 4 public libraries affiliated to the Ministry of Culture to link not only
the cazas of Tyre, Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoun and Bint Jbeil together but also to the rest of the country and the
world.
The project is implemented in partnership with private companies involved and in collaboration with the
concerned municipal councils, existing local and international organizations and UN agencies.

The project will be managed and executed by Fondation Saradar in cooperation with UNESCWA, Italian
NGOs operating in South Lebanon, UNIFIL, and other potential partners which could provide additional
resources to the project. The main local partners of the project will be the municipal councils of the various
villages. The municipal councils are expected to provide administrative support, coordination and networking
with the selected participating municipalities, security arrangements and power supply. Partnerships will also
be created with private companies and existing local and international organizations.

ƒ BACKGROUND

The post-occupied region of South Lebanon has around 70,000 inhabitants∗, or 22% of the total inhabitants
of South Lebanon (excluding the population increase during summer). A quarter of the households have a
monthly income of less than $300 and an average family of 4.8 persons. Poverty in the region is increased
by social problems directly related to the years of conflict.

∗
Institute of Urban Planning of the Region of Ile-de-France (IAUIF): Regional Socio-Economic Development Programme for South Lebanon. A report
prepared for the High Relief Committee (the Lebanese Republic) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme. Beirut 1999.
Compared to other regions, the post-occupied region of South Lebanon is inhabited by a young population.
For example, 45% of the population in the Cazas of Tyre and Bint-Jbeil are under 19. Illiteracy and
unemployment rates are significantly higher than the national average and there are disproportionate
numbers of orphans, disabled, and ex-prisoners. Female-headed households make up about 18.5% to 21%,
compared to a national average of 14%.

The communities of the post-occupied regions of South Lebanon face many challenges, not the least
significant of which are IT related. Although efforts are being made to improve the Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) infrastructure, there are still significant unmet needs, especially in
remote areas where accessibility is rather difficult. There is also a scarcity of accredited technical institutions
available to provide training and certification for those who seek it.

Israel’s war against Lebanon has left a trail of unimaginable

destruction and immense destitution. Israeli air strikes have
reduced numerous villages in Southern Lebanon to rubble. All
economic sectors have been crippled: manufacturing facilities
were targeted heavily by both bombing campaigns as well as
suffocating air, land, and sea blockades. Certain sectors and
areas of the country were subjected to more severe damage
than others. As a result, while unemployment ranged between
10 and 12% prior to the war, it has multiplied in most sectors
and regions. Agriculture was affected severely since most
harvested crops were either burned or left unharvested. The
tourism industry, a crucial sector of the economy generating
huge foreign reserves and capital inflow into the country, has
come to a complete standstill.

The areas hit during the war were already the most impoverished in the country. The juxtaposition of the
geography of poverty and the geography of destruction necessitates special reconstruction programs aimed
at building local capacities for poverty alleviation and employment creation. The proposed mobile computer
school will help the rural communities in the devastated areas of the country to upgrade their skills in
information technology and thus provide them with more job opportunities and increase in income.
To tackle these challenges, The Italian Cooperation for Development – Embassy of Italy, UNESCWA &
Fondation Saradar identified the need to introduce IT-related assistance, and thus initiated the new E-
Caravan-Phœnix Project.

ƒ DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

As a mobile computer school the E-Caravan-Phœnix will travel to remote areas and villages that lack IT
centers, technical institutions or adequate
telecommunication infrastructure. Furthermore, satellite
Internet connection will be provided for areas that have no
Internet access. The E-Caravan will be able to cover the
entire Southern region during the life of the project, with a
target of participation of 65% women and 5% disabled
persons.
The E-Caravan-Phœnix will hire an IT training institution,
Formatech Integrated Learning Centers, which is a Certified
Technical Educational Center for Microsoft, Oracle, CIW
and CompTIA as well as the largest Prometric Authorized
Certification Testing Center in Lebanon. Formatech will
utilize its experience gained from Fondation Saradar’s
‘Saradar IT Programme’ (SITP) and the former E-Caravan
in delivering a customized training package suitable for rural areas and targeting subjects such as rural
tourism, women, disabled persons, Training of Trainers, supporting small and medium enterprises and
others.

ƒ OBJECTIVES

The objective of the project is to combat the lack of IT awareness and IT education amongst underprivileged
communities in South Lebanon; especially, youth, women and persons with disability, who are at a

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disadvantage in the job market. In cooperation with ESCWA and the Italian NGOs operating on the ground,
the project will ensure the access of populations in remote regions to cultural and educational
activities/events though the Internet.

In addition, the project will seek to disseminate collective security information and advice relevant to post-war
situations through public awareness campaigns.

ƒ PILOT PHASE CALENDAR

The E-Caravan-Phœnix will be heading towards the Cazas of Tyre, Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoun and Bint Jbeil for
an initial period of 12 months, with a possibility of renewing the following year. The E-Caravan will be
deployed according to a tentative itinerary, subject to change. The first scheduled stations are Deir Qanoun
El Nahr, Qana, Barish, Srifa, Nabatyeh, followed by Marjeyoun, Houla, Majdel Salem, Aytaroun and Bint
Jbeil. Each of the stations is expected to also serve users from neighbouring villages.

Tentative itinerary of the E-Caravan Phœnix in South Lebanon

ƒ E-CARAVAN-PHŒNIX PARTNERS

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) promotes economic
and social development through regional and sub regional cooperation and integration, serving as the main
socio-economic arm of the United Nations in Western Asia. As part of its work, UNESCWA formulates and
promotes development assistance activities and projects commensurate with the needs and priorities of its
member countries and acts as an executing agency for relevant operational projects.
In 2001, a pilot project for post conflict reconstruction called “ESCWA Assistance for South Lebanon” (EASL)
was launched as an initiative to help in the socio-economic development of the region In response to on-
going crises, political tensions and conflicts facing the region, ESCWA established, as of January 2006, the
Unit for Emerging and Conflict Related Issues (ECRI). The Unit aims to reduce the impact of conflict and
instability on socio-economic and political development in Western Asia. The E-caravan project is one of
ESCWA’s initiatives in post-conflict areas to support rehabilitation and revival of countries afflicted by crisis.

The Italian Cooperation – Ross Program, Embassy of Italy

The ROSS Program “Emergency Initiative for Rehabilitation, Employment, Services and Development” is a
program of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It
was launched for the management and implementation of 15 million euros of the Italian pledge at the
Stockholm Donors’ Conference, through a fund established locally with the Embassy of Italy in Beirut.
Thirty-eight projects are currently being financed by the ROSS Program and implemented by Italian and
Lebanese NGOs in partnership with 29 local NGOs, operating in 103 locations in Lebanon and focusing on
four main sectors: economic activities, socio-educational and healthcare basic services and humanitarian
assistance to Palestinian camps. Particular attention is paid to environmental and gender issues.
The Program Office carries out coordination, technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation of the
interventions assigned to Italian, international and local NGOs. Wherever necessary, the ROSS Program
takes direct action to support and integrate projects in progress. Two of the crucial responsibilities of the
Program are to identify common strategies and synergies amongst the different actors present locally, and

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assist them to collaborate and coordinate. This “systemic” approach enhances the impact of and guarantees
real sustainability for their interventions.

Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, Embassy of Canada

The Canada Fund in Lebanon is a financial assistance program administered by the Canadian Embassy in
Beirut to support small projects related to poverty alleviation, civic engagement and human rights. The
Canada Fund has been operating in Lebanon since the mid 80’s and has provided financial assistance to
more than three hundred development projects. The Government of Canada is fully committed to assist
populations that have been affected by the July-August 2006 war. Funding priorities focus on post conflict
recovery linked to sustainable livelihoods, assistance to internally displaced persons, mine victims and mine
risk awareness, and psycho-social support to children suffering from war trauma.
The Canada Fund in Lebanon also attaches a high priority to projects in Governance, Civil Society and
Democracy; Assistance and Protection of Refugees; Child Protection and Empowerment of Women.
Protection of the environment and gender equality are cross-cutting themes and are taken into account in all
projects.

Fondation Saradar (FS) is a Lebanese NGO registered with Lebanese Ministry of Interior (December 2000).
In 2002 it launched a pilot project titled ‘Saradar IT Programme’ (SITP), in the villages of displaced
populations in the Cazas of Aley, Baabda, the Chouf and Jezzine, under the patronage of the Minister of the
Displaced, H.E. Mr. Marwan Hamadé and former Minister of State Pierre Helou. The SITP seeks to provide
IT training to disadvantaged communities in remote areas of Lebanon with the participation of the
municipalities and local NGOs.
The ‘Accessibility Programme’ was initiated in 2003 to ensure the integration of physically handicapped
persons in the world of IT. The caravan was equipped with demountable ramp and handrails to facilitate the
access of wheelchairs.
In January 2006, Fondation Saradar launched its second Mobile Computer School, the ‘E-Caravan’, in
partnership with UNESCWA. The caravan caters to clusters of villages, introducing the world of IT to
communities of the formerly occupied South Lebanon region. The E-Caravan was struck by missiles and
destroyed on 29 July 2006, and since then efforts were made by Fondation Saradar, supported by partners,
to reactivate the project.
The ‘Adaptive Technology Programme’ was launched in July 2006 to provide IT learning opportunities to the
visually impaired, in partnership with the ‘Youth Association of the Blind’ (YAB).

PARTNER NGOs

Baldati www.baldati.net
Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union (LPHU) www.lphu.com
Youth Association of the Blind (YAB) www.yablb.org

SPONSORS
We could not bring you this important project in the regions of South Lebanon without the help of a number
of partners and sponsors. We would like to express our deepest thanks for their generous contributions and
their invaluable support.

An Nahar www.annahar.com.lb
Bankers Assurance s.a.l www.bankers-assurance.com
Capital Outsourcing www.c-o.com
Carrosserie Abillama s.a.l www.abillama.net
Compagnie de Construction Immobilière (CCI) www.cci-lb.com
Compagnie des Sources du Liban, Sannine www.sannine.com
Crown House Group www.crownhousegroup.com
The Daily Star www.dailystar.com.lb
Early Bird s.a.l earlybird@inco.com.lb
Formatech Integrated Learning Center www.formatech.com.lb
Inconet-Data Management (IDM) www.idm.net.lb
Inmarsat Limited www.inmarsat.com
Librairie Halim www.librairiehalim.com
L’Orient-Le Jour www.lorientlejour.com

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Murex Services www.murex.com
Oxfam-Québec / CIDA www.oxfam.qc.ca / www.acdi-cida.gc.ca
Saccal Systems www.saccal.com.lb
Triband Middle East s.a.l Off Shore www.tribandmiddleeast.com
Triple C www.triplec.com.lb
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) www.un.org/Depts/dpko

ƒ CONTACT INFORMATION
Fondation Saradar United Nations Economic and Social
Tabaris 812 Bldg. Commission for Western Asia - (UNESCWA)
Bloc C, 3rd Floor, Ashrafieh United Nations House
Charles Malek Avenue Riad el Solh Square
P.O.Box: 11-1121 Beirut Central District, Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 (0)1 981 410
Tel: +961 (0)1 339 012 Fax: +961 (0)1 981 510
Fax: +961 (0)1 338 698 Email: escwa-ecri@un.org
Email: info@fondationsaradar.org http://www.escwa.org.lb
http://www.fondationsaradar.org

Italian Cooperation – Ross Emergency Program Canada Fund for Local Initiatives
Embassy of Italy Embassy of Canada
th
Hazmieh Square Bldg. 4 Floor Coolrite Building
Hazmieh, Lebanon 43 Jal el-Dib Highway
Tel: +961 (0) 5 451 494
Beirut, Lebanon
Fax: +961 (0) 5 451 483
Tel: +961 (0) 4 713 900 Ext. 3420
Email: UTL.Beirut@esteri.it
Fax. +961 (0) 4 710 595
http://www.utlbeirut.org Email : beirut-cfli@international.gc.ca/beirut/cida
http://www.international.gc.ca./beirut/cida-en.asp