Our Projects – Fingerprint of Change

Programs of Fingerprint of Change

Lebanon's geographical position on the Mediterranean coast and its intermediate trade routes across continents create an incentive, with many other factors, for external states and internal forces to control Lebanon. The country’s sectarian diversity makes it distinct from other countries. While this advantage was beneficial for Lebanon, it was also a curse as foreign countries in cooperation with internal forces exploited it and played on sectarian nerves that led to numerous conflicts and wars, including the civil war that lasted for approximately fifteen years and caused numerous deaths, injuries, and disabilities, as well as displacement.

Furthermore, the Lebanese-Palestinian-Israeli conflict has led to the displacement of a number of Palestinians towards the Lebanese lands and their residence there. In addition, Lebanon was highly affected from the several Israel’s invasion.

For decades, wars and crises have continued in the region which led to the forced migration and refugees to Lebanon, from Palestine, Sudan, Iraq, then from Syria. The Syrian crisis, which began in 2011, is one of its most prominent effects was the economic blockade that was imposed on it and had serious consequences, at various levels, starting and not limited to social, economic, environmental, and other aspects, for Lebanon and refugees in Lebanon. When the Syrian crisis erupted, a large number of Syrians fled to Lebanon, and their number exceeded a third of Lebanon's population. These migrations and refugees harmed many families in Lebanon from different nationalities, who suffered psychological problems, loss of identity, cultural alienation, and more.

The mentioned above conditions exacerbated the economic burdens that Lebanon suffers from, and consequently various forms of social pressure increased, in addition to the increasing pressure on the infrastructure and other things.

Based on these circumstances the establishment of the Fingerprint for Change Association took place in 2018, considering its duty to participate in alleviating the impact of these problems on the Lebanese and displaced residents of Lebanon, so we implemented the following programs:

Sports program
Cultural and Education program
Food program
Migrant domestic workers program
Health program

Our Sports program

Sport is a universal language that help overcome language barriers and cultural differences. Much research has found that sports participation can positively affect mental health. It contributes to reducing aggressive behavior and acquiring positive coping skills and it creates space for constructive dialogue. Sport unites, playing together requires collaborating with each other for a common goal. It helps to realize what everyone has in common: A passion for the game.

Since using sport contribute to ease the dire situation of disadvantaged children and youth in Lebanon, and since sport connects people at all levels, and it improve the psychological and social well-being of children and youth and to overcome risky behaviors which is in the core mission of Fingerprint of change, we implemented sports programs.

The programs covered four areas in Lebanon starting from the South of Lebanon to its North, and to Beirut and to the Beqaa. It reached around 1,100 female and male, children and youth from different nationalities (Syrian, Lebanese, PRS, PRL, in addition Sudanese and Iraqis). The age brackets of the participants were from the age of 7 to 16 years, matched in groups according to their generations. In addition, we aimed to improve the psychosocial well-being of children and youth and discourage them from risky behaviors.

Within our Sports program we implemented a number of projects intitled summer camps; Better2Gether in funded by a private campaign in Germany leaded by the sports journalist/reporter Peter Hardenacke, in coordination with Viva-con-agua and Borussia Dortmund Football team; Football3 funded by the Goethe-Institute; and Sports open days that we included in our education and culture program. We included the bellow component in the sports program:

Training of trainers: Around 32 male and female youth from different nationalities, who are existing sports providers and local sports clubs who are identified as leaders or with the capacity for leadership, were outreached and introduce to different sports methodology including the called football3[1] coaching. The training moved them from the level of coaching on football to the level of becoming agents of positive social change in their communities, using sport as a tool leading to this change. During the training they acquire new information about sports activities that we presented. We were keen to present sports not only playing football, but about an overall package of sports and norms related to positive communication, non-violence, and fair play to make a change in people’s lives. It is a tool that will be transferred from the caches to the children and youth in a fun atmosphere.
Sports camp days: Through the sports learning courses, around 740 male and female children and youth learn new concepts highlighting misconceptions they may have had about traditional football games. They play as teams; the opposing teams celebrate each victory together. Furthermore, they become involved in the planning process and are responsible for solving any problems that may occur while playing; they build new friendships and feel more belonging to their communities, especially by mixing with people from different nationalities and political and religious backgrounds.
Sports open days: The sports days gathered around 360 male and female children and youth. Sports coach divided beneficiaries into teams, and played games that involved competition and enthusiasm. Finally, they all participated in football. The playfield included corners where different exercises/games will be implemented. In addition, inflatable game, and other playing materials were provided….
Tournaments: the tournament always take place in Beirut area, gathering all projects participants from the four governorates. The playfield is divided into many playing areas, and the teams divided in a way that allows competition between different areas. During the tournament we spread messages like the importance of the role that youth can play in their communities, the importance of ensuring a clean environment, children and women rights…The participants were be engaged in the preparation and implementation of the tournament, responsibilities and tasks will be assigned to them during the tournament (i.e., facilitation, organization of the timing…).
Box idea: A journalism component was added, including around 20 males and females from different nationalities. The participants learned using skills of photo shooting and do interview. The participants acquired new skill they learned how to draft interviews questions, how to address the questions and reform the answers, the processes of the camera setup, the focus. This component resulted in a short documentary.
Training Children and youth to comment on matches.
Distribution of shoes and sports outfits: Around one over 5 youth and children’s beneficiaries, came with a flip flop. So, the shoes were a guaranty of not starting the winter barefoots. During our program arround 975 youth and children received shoes and sports outfits, footballs and medals.

The project increased the accessibility of children and youth to sports, with a special focus on street children, girls and children and youth with special needs. Moreover, we highlighted the importance of allowing girls to participate in teams with boys, many girls showed the same level of professionalism that boys showed during the implementation.

The poorest category of children and youth didn’t have an opportunity to participate in sports activities, neither playing in a real football field, because their parents couldn’t afford to pay club fees.

Our food security program

Lebanon was facing an unprecedented economic crisis; its financial situation was precarious and unstable. In 2020 many people lost their jobs, and others’ salaries were deviated by more than 50%, due to the devaluation of the Lebanese pound against the dollar. People became unable to afford their basic necessities due to the fast spike in food prices that cost for surviving minimum expenditure Basket increased by 230 percent in LBP. The ongoing financial crisis made the refugees’ situation worse than ever. The second IPC acute food insecurity, analysis conducted in Lebanon in May 2023 estimated that, in the current analysis period between May and October 2023, about 1.4 million Lebanese, Syrian and Palestine refugees in Lebanon (PRL) and Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity.

To help in overcoming hunger efforts, we planned to implement several food security projects since 2019 till date, targeting around 7,523 vulnerable Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian, families living in Beirut, Beqaa and South Lebanon. Our essential aim was to provide food to the people in need, but we aimed too, at contributing to boost the economy in the areas of intervention. The less fortunate families were selected according to two lists of criteria proposed by the Ministry of social Affairs and lists prepared by our employees in the targeted areas, through field visit based on a number of criteria such as the number of the families’ members, the presence of the father / mother, the health and financial conditions of the families.

Within our food program we implemented a number of projects intitled: Ramadan food project funded by Community Care Kitchen – Australia; “Matbakhna” project and the “Mouneh” project and food safety project funded by KinderUSA; food distribution in coordination with UNHCR. We included in these projects the bellow components:

Our ingredients were purchased locally like small shops and farmers. We gave a special attention to hygiene, to including different bodies nutrients needs, to the packing, and to providing fresh and hot meals.

As our mission is to contributing in enhancing communities’ members skills and making them factors of change in their local communities. The cooker and delivery working in this program were from the local communities, we gave priority to women and youth in order to empower them and to facilitate job creation.

Food preparing / cooking that was lunched for the months of Ramadan, were continuously because of the high need. The team distributed fresh and hot meals that included vegetables (tomato, cucumber, onion, lemon, green, parsley, mint, lettuce), a main dish of rice or grits, nuts, sauce or yogurt with meat or chicken, and some fruits (apple and orange) to 5,098 families.
We distributed Maamoul Eid on the last day of the month of Ramadan. 800 families.
Food pantry “Mouneh”: Preparing food supplies for the “Mouneh” for 600 families. The Mouneh usually last until spring, when snow-covered fields and roads the Mouneh would be accessible again; the importance is that the materials last for a year without needing a refrigerator, and some do not need to be cooked. “Mouneh” is the practice done naturally according to availability during each season, and seasonal food is made through various techniques that depending on the product:
Drying baskets and trays hanged on the balconies or the roofs. This practice is used on various vegetables, and sometimes with meat.
Packing in oil. This practice is used on various vegetables include dried labneh, dried eggplants (Makdous).
Preserving putting large pots of mashed produce boiling over wood-fire, making jams, jellies and pastes. This practice is used on fruits such as apricots and figs as well as some vegetables such as tomatoes and chili peppers.
Pickling mostly with the use of vinegar. This practice is used on various vegetables, like cucumbers, onions, carrots, cauliflower, chili peppers, turnip and beetroot.
brining – soak or preserve in salty water.
Distill flower – roses …
Distributing food: a portion of food material (rice, oil, lentil, canned food…) per family for 835 families.
Organizing evening activities: we organized celebration of Eid Al-Fitr with the participation of groups of 160 vulnerable Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian kids, mostly orphans. The events included clown shows, dances, songs, lunch, and gifts.
Providing awareness about hygiene and food safety to 30 women.

And the most important is that we cared about is to respect dignity of our beneficiaries.

Our educational and cultural program

Adding to the fact that children living in vulnerable areas and in refugee camps around the country lack the resources to participate in cultural and educational activities, the government’s lockdown due to the coronavirus led the children to increase their habits of addicting screen entertainment and smoking. School closure has widened learning inequalities, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable children and youth. This situation is even worth in the camps and marginalized areas.

Believing that every child has the right for education and play, and because our mission states the support of the children and youth, and having as mission to focus on children, young people and women in the pedagogical and development areas, we decided to participate in alleviating the problem and to develop a hobby of reading, and to improve education and implement exercises taken from the school curriculum for underserved children, to give enjoyable alternative to bad practices in children and youth free time. For the mentioned above, we implemented the Mobile Library, Mobile School and the Molding Beautifull Minds Programs Funded by Kinder USA, targeting 8665 vulnerable Lebanese and refugees in Beqaa, Beirut and South Lebanon. The programs included the below components:

Educational components:
A mobile bus was equipped with books arranged by topic and age groups, targeting 140 children. It was also equipped with light mobile furniture, outdoor rugs, and foldable tables, allowing our team to execute different activities and games outside the bus. This bus was a joined effort between Fingerprint of Change and Al-Sabil association. In addition to books, the Mobile Bus carried a series of activities that steered the children’s interest in reading and opened up their curiosity about different topics. The activities and games were planned and implemented by a professional team with a background in child development. The activities comprised storytelling and reading, puppet shows, group-based short story writing and illustration, drawing and painting, board games, and writing competitions.
1,385 Women were targeted, too, in book discussion activities and awareness sessions as per their request.
An education component is being implemented through a curriculum that was designed by an educational expert to improve education, and to include exercises that are taken from the school curriculum for underserved children. We targeted around 2,220 children aged between 8 and 12 years old. The aim of this curriculum is to give quality education through the method of learning by practice and in a pleasant way. And it was implemented by a professional team with a background in child development. Lessons were arranged by topic and grade to target three groups: illiterate children (teach them reading and writing numbers and sentences, school students, and students enrolling in online education). It included printed homework distributed to children to ensure they would study at least 3 days per week.
Illiteracy We targeted around 2,370 children aged between 8 and 10 years old.
Psycho- cultural components:
kids produced creative craft works demonstrating innovation in concepts, formal language, and/or materials, and used resourcefully locally available materials to make different products (objects) with the community’s help. We targeted around 450 children aged between 8 and 12 years old. These arts are mirrors that reflects their spirits and help to innovate and bring out what is inside them. In addition, they designed creative works that show their abilities to innovate and embody their ideas in forms that they made manually through the use of available materials. Art created a space to be more expressive
Drama: Acting and puppet-making classes were implemented as a kind of psychological and social support for girls and boys who suffer from difficult life circumstances and included training on acting, puppet-making, and shows. The drama classes are the space where our beneficiaries release their energy in a positive way, and express their inner beings. We targeted in drama around 120 children aged between 11 and 12 years old.
Socio cultural components were added to the program, aiming at promoting social cohesion and affiliations of the target groups; providing a comprehensive outline of the influence and the capabilities of the various cultural identities; in addition, the cultural approaches build up non adversarial relationships as it endorsed non-nationalist components while maintaining, when applicable, aspects of community identities. We targeted around 2,870 children aged between 8 and 12 years old.
Cultural tourism days aimed to introduce children to heritage sites and landmarks.
Cleaning days were held to educate children on the importance of cleanliness at the health and psychological levels and the importance of sorting waste and recycling what can be recycled.
Competitions included the children and their families, intending to break the stalemate between both, and spend together quality time, which differs from the complaints of the daily relationship between them.
Sports days are among the parts that form a link between our cultural programs and our sports programs.
Days were organized to celebrate many occasions, including Mother and Child Day, Refugee Day, and Teacher’s Day…
School materials like bags, stationery, and books were distributed to 1,420 children in all areas.
At the end of each quarter, we held a celebration where the children’s activities included a display of children’s works, theatrical performances, dances, clown performances, dancing, fun, and other things. The events gathered around 1,160 children
Health days: A public health doctor examined around 750 children and youth and elderly, in the three areas of implementation. In addition, awareness and support were provided by a nurse….

The children learned the value of books and how to respect and care for shared resources to allow other children to benefit from them.

The programs served as free educational resources and helped connect children within the community through cultural and leisure engagement.

Our Migrant Domestic Workers Program

Migrant Domestic Workers rights and duties are excluded from the Lebanese labor law, the system applied is the sponsorship system (known as Kafala System). Kafala is an oppressive system that controls migrant workers, most of them being women. It requires each worker to be sponsored by a citizen of the country. That employer, also known as a kafeel, is responsible for the worker’s legal status and visa. When the worker’s term finalizes, the employer can either renew it or terminate the worker’s status, which necessitates the immediate deport of the worker. Most of them have their passport confiscated by their employer, have unlimited working hours, don’t have a private room…and are subject to abuse, without any support because of the discrimination. When the economic crisis raised in Lebanon many employers couldn’t afford to pay for their helper in dollars so they left them in the streets, or at the door of their embassies, but unfortunately the embassies couldn’t help them a lot, so many of became were homeless.

Since Fingerprint of Change aims at supporting women, we designed a program to help the migrant workers who are from different nationalities. We provide them with community support, in partnership with Egna-Legna association. The program started in started 2020, during which we targeted more than 200 women. The program included food and clothes distribution and help with their legal papers with the general security forces, for those who traveled back to their country. We accompanied them at the airport until they reached the airplane gate.

We support migrant domestic workers with immigrated-related matters starting from providing their necessary documents from the relevant General security offices and taking it to the airport, to covering payment for PCR tests, and covering General security payments, in addition other required payments.

Many workers were in the prison, because of complaints, most of which are unfounded, or because of the expiration of work papers or residency permits. We were a liaison with government focal points and officials at the prison and with general directorate for general security. We provided momentary shelters, we targeted inmate workers, and we focused on sick and single women, with what they need for basic care and feminine kits, also we helped put them in contact with lawyers for those sent to prison for theft accusation without real evidence and proper investigation. We visited the prison and conducted information, and provided food and tickets when needed.

Some migrant domestic workers were trapped in the country after being fired due to the intensified economic crisis.

Many of these workers were protected, and those who wanted to leave Lebanon were sent back to their homelands.

Our health program

Lebanon, which was once a center for medical services, banking, and real estate, is facing the lack of supply of chronic diseases, drugs, and many others, and if found, they are at very high prices or only available in the black market. This fact is due to many factors: The lack of confidence inside the global market in the ability of Lebanese companies to pay, the collapse of the national currency, and panic buying due to the discontinuation of state support for medicines.

Within our health program we implemented the listed below components: Medical and nursing days, Awareness sessions on hygiene and health, in coordination with municipalities, Medication distribution initiatives funded by Kinder USA

Examination of 700 children and youth by pediatricians and general health doctors supported by nurses. This part comes as a link between our cultural programs and our health programs.
A medication initiative took place in December 2020, Fingerprint of Change intervened and bought drugs for 85 chronic disease patients, from Beirut, Beqaa and South Lebanon, and consisted of mainly buying the medications already prescribed to the beneficiaries by their doctors. This initiative was monitored by a pharmacist, one of our board members, and supervised by a licensed doctor, who were ensuring the prescription was legitimate and issued by a physician.
Awareness sessions were implemented for 750 parents and their children about the importance of personal hygiene for their health in a smooth and fun way. A nurse explained the significance and how to clean and provided them with hygiene bags during the awareness sessions.
Due to ignorance of health and hygiene issues in many areas, many women and girls feel ashamed during menstruation, negatively affecting their mental health. Many do not use sterile sanitary pads and adopt for several reasons, including their financial situation. We enhance their confidence by using appropriate strategies to raise awareness so they take their health and well-being seriously. About hygiene and taking care of themselves.

The health component resulted in time and money savings, better morale, better co-operation, reduced conflict, and decreased stress among our beneficiaries.

Our relief interventions

Within our aim to ensure provision of assistance in the relief sectors in some circumstances like the storms,

On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey near the Syrian border.. Fingerprint of change made a 48 hours campaign gathering two pick tracks of materials and money to intervene in Syria, we targeted affected families, who were displaced to public schools. Within this intervention we distribute clothes and shoes and medication and personal hygiene kits, mattresses, sheets, blankets, carpets… At that time Lebanon was suffering from a crisis, and the media was talking about hate between Lebanese and Syrian, this initiative from the Lebanese people to the Syrian was a sort of message to loosen up the tensions between countries.
Targeting 20 families.
children. We Target most vulnerable beneficiaries (men, women and children). Targeting 850 men, women and children’s refugees, and vulnerable Lebanese beneficiaries from

Our top priority is to ensure that the families receive assistance in a professional and effective manner, and that the distributed items meet good quality measures in respect to the dignity of the beneficiaries and avoid causing harm, and we will target groups that we can fully cover in proportion to need and without any barriers.