Issue 13 | December 2023
107
IC Responsibility
The Ali Ghandour Center for Leadership, Diversity and Civic Engagement (AGC) From Vision to Action: AGC’s Inspiring Journey of Social Impact The Ali Ghandour Center for Leadership, Diversity, and Civic Engagement (AGC) kicked off the 20232024 academic year with excitement and optimism. Thirty-seven students joined the AGC for a threeyear journey, recruited from both IC and applicants to the AGC scholarship program. The AGC team was impressed by their understanding of social challenges in Lebanon and their strong commitment to acquiring new skills and acting as agents of change in their communities. Over the past three months, the new cohort delved into essential concepts of civic responsibility, community engagement, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly those linked with present-day social challenges in Lebanon. Engaging in thorough research on the first six UNSDGs, the students formulated small-scale actions, individually and in groups, to be implemented during their Christmas break.
(CSPs), including building partnerships, conducting fieldwork, and executing specific project tasks. An exciting highlight was the presentation of project concepts to the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Valuable feedback from the CCECS team guided students in refining their project proposals, setting the stage for the implementation phase. Currently, five distinct projects are underway, each addressing unique community challenges with compelling narratives. The Unuthati. Period team collaborated with the Pachamama project and Ms. Ella Lambert, the co-founder, working on making reusable sanitary products for women in refugee camps worldwide. Another collaboration with WingWoman Lebanon, led by Ms. Meelie Pemberton, introduced an alternative method for making reusable pads. The team produced approximately 100 reusable pads to be distributed to underprivileged women.
As for AGC Levels 2 and 3 (Grades 11 and 12), the AGC introduced a dedicated summer course for the first time, spanning from July 3 to July 14, 2023. The program aimed to optimize balance, allowing AGC Level 3/Grade 12 students to focus on academics and college applications. During the summer, students dedicated their efforts to advancing previously designed Community Service Projects
Now equipped with valuable knowledge, the Unuthati. Period team is gearing up to train marginalized women in Lebanon on creating these reusable pads. The aim is to empower women with the skills to produce their own hygiene products, fostering self-sufficiency and upholding their rights to accessible and dignified menstrual care.
