Season of Light, Season of Change - Lebanon.

Meet Heleen, part of the leadership team at GROW Daycare in Bourj Hammoud, Beirut, Lebanon. Hellen is from the Netherlands and works as a speech therapist, training caregivers in how to support children in their language development.

Day-to-day life in Bourj Hammoud, one of Beirut’s most distinctive and densely populated neighbourhoods, is vibrant, hectic, deeply communal, and shaped by decades of history—especially its strong Armenian heritage. Although the area has become more mixed in recent years, Armenian language, food, crafts, and churches remain central to daily life.

Despite its warmth and vibrancy, daily life can be tough. The area faces crowded housing, economic pressure, electricity cuts, rising prices, and infrastructure strain. Many residents juggle multiple jobs. Refugee communities add additional layers of complexity but also cultural richness.

Here's Heleen's responses to our questions.

1. What part of the Aprender training has made the biggest difference to you, and why?

The leadership trainings. For example, being challenged to have difficult conversations,  getting a deeper understanding of people's responses to change, practicing how to become more strategic in planning and executing our goals.

2. How has your approach to teaching or leading changed since?

Before I lead more intuitive. I would have a sense of things or of the importance of certain topics, but I couldn't explain why or I wasn't able to know where to start. With Aprender's guidance, questions and steps I was able to be more aware and intentional. It has also helped me to set priorities in the many things that need to happen.

3. Have you noticed any changes in your students since applying what you learned?

I'm more involved with the team, not with the students. Team members have expressed that they feel more cared for. They also sometimes look to me specifically when they desire a change or when they need someone to talk for them. I think this means that trust between me and the team has improved because of increased transparency and the fact that people know that I take their issues seriously.

4. If you could say one thing to the people who made your training possible, our donors and supporters, what would it be?

Leading in a way that reflects God's heart is still very underdeveloped, even in Christian circles. So often leaders are taken up in the everyday busyness and they don't step back and reflect or they don't invest in professional training. Besides that, professional training is often not affordable for small NGOs. And finally, a training organisation and/or trainer that is able to act from a humble point of view, truly respecting other cultures, yes even elevating them, and then also delivering biblical and professional leadership content is very unique. I have found this all in Aprender.

Aprender's trainings are truly a gift. They help us to step back and reflect, and to truly make changes in our leadership style and in our organisation, while respecting us and never giving us the feeling that we are falling short or failing.

5. What’s your dream for your students or your school in the coming year?

I dream that our team will grow even closer together and gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for each other.  As the team functions better, trust grows, and the children will experience a positive change in the classroom too.

Your donations will ensure we can continue to support Heleen and other education projects. Please consider donating £10 per month to support teacher professional development, or £25 per month to support the development of resources to develop active learning possible in classrooms.

Donate Here