Noor & Noora:
A Magazine for Everyone
By
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
University of Balamand
Faculty of Health Sciences
UOBRC Research Seminar
Balamand
May 09, 2004
Background
• The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education &
Child Nutrition Program (FFE) is administered by the US
Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service
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Key objectives of the FFE program:
Promote food security
Promote child development
Improve literacy
Improve primary education
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
How FFE works
• Projects within recipient countries are
conducted by non-profit charitable
organizations, cooperatives and international
organizations
• In Lebanon, the International Orthodox
Christian Charities (IOCC) is executing the
project in 180 public schools during the
scholastic year 2003/ 04
• Mid-morning meals are distributed to students
on a daily basis
• The programme also includes an important
educational component
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
FFE: Previous Experience at UoB
• The programme is not new to UoB, as this is the
third scholastic year that UoB prepares and
implements the educational component of it
• During 2001/ 02, the programme was implemented
in 92 public schools and consisted of two
components: mid-morning snacks (nutritional) & a
booklet related to environmental & health topics
(educational)
• During 2002/ 03, cuts on budget reduced school
number to 54. The programme included the usual
snacks in addition to an agenda
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Educational Component of FFE:
Noor & Noora Magazine
• Noor & Noora magazine was prepared within the
context of the School Feeding and Education Program
(SFEP 03-04) implemented by the International
Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in partnership
with the University of Balamand – Faculty of Health
Sciences (UoB-FHS) and the Ministry of Education
(MoEd)
• It was distributed to ~ 22.000 students at public
schools enrolled in the programme all over Lebanon
(North, South, Nabatiyeh, Beirut, & Mount Lebanon)
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora:The team
• The magazine was prepared in
collaboration with:
 A team at FHS
 A team at MoEd
 A experts’ pannel of university
professors, a school teacher, a
theater producer, and a children’s
bookshop owner
 An external support team of two
school teachers
 A team of illustrators
 A team of graphic designers
 An Arabic language expert
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Objectives of Magazine
• The magazine targets children between ages eight and
twelve
• It aims at:
 Promoting reading among children
 Developing interpersonal-social skills
 Developing higher thinking skills
 Increasing awareness in environment related topics
 Increasing awareness in health related topics
 Increasing awareness related to civics related issues
 Providing children with an alternative during leisure
time
 And more…
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
•
How is the magazine
structured?
The magazine is made up of 24 pages, in addition to a 4page-parents’ booklet and a cut-out game
• The magazine is divided into 12 parts, which cover
topics ranging from children’s rights and community
work to municipal elections , passing by solid waste
management and non-traditional career paths
• The magazine is structured around themes
• Each theme is treated using a different pedagogical
method (Comic strip, hand craft, puzzle, etc.)
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
NOOR & NOORA: Contents
(1)
Part 1:“It is My Right”
Concentrates
on the rights of the child, specifically the right
to schooling, a clean environment, peace, and expression of
feelings and opinion
The
magazine addresses the issue of the child’s rights in an
narrative manner. Characters tell the reader about their
personal experience regarding each of the above mentioned
rights
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
NOOR & NOORA: Contents (2)
Part 2:
“What do You Think Caused the Death of the Birds
of Kfarmit?”
• Is a detective game, which uncovers the complexity of
environmental issues, such as the use of pesticides, and
management of industrial and hazardous wastes
• The setting of the game is a town called Kfarmit, where
birds are dying. The head of municipality has called for an
urgent meeting to solve this enigma
• The child is supposed to help out the inhabitants find out
what caused the death of the birds
• In order to do so, the child should solve riddles and
puzzles related to the text
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (3)
Part 3:
“Give your friend the bird a house!”
•Recycling through
craftwork
•Promoting recycled objects
•Protecting birds
•Using resources sustainably
•Saving money
•And more…
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (4)
Part 4:“Loubna doesn’t want to go to school”
• Adapted from Lamblin’s Samira ne veut pas aller à
l’école (Nathan edition)
• A comic strip through which children discover the
importance of schooling
• While addressing a serious issue, this comic strip
allows the reader a laughter and some
“mischievous” adventures with Hamish
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (5)
Part 5: “When I Graduate from School”
• Again importance of schooling is stressed
• Career paths
• Careers chosen are not “traditional”
• Vocational training/ university education:
both are important
• Follow your passion
• Join the dots to discover what tools the
characters use in their career
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (6)
Part 6: “What Did You Get? Let’s Play!”
• Environmental concepts and issues tackled
through an origami/ craftwork traditional
children game.
• Translated from the children’s website of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (7)
Part 7:“Let’s Eat!”
•
The issue of healthy
nutrition tackled
through a song
•
The song is taken
from a theater play
that was especially
prepared for the
programme as part of
the educational
component
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (8)
Part 8: “Doody the Earthworm”
• Doody, the main character in this short
comic strip, teaches children to recycle
organic material through composting
• The story is meant to generate a wider
effect among the audience (which is not
just kids)
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (9)
Part 9: “From the News of the Environment &
Health Club at Kfarmit School”
• Aims at promoting environmental school clubs
• This part is written in form of minutes of the
School club
• Introduces many concepts among which
cooperation and community projects
• The kids are responsible for carrying out a
recycling project in collaboration with the
municipality of Kfarmit, parents, inhabitants, etc.
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (10)
Part 10:“On the Margin”
• This part is about the making of the
magazine
• Hamish is a character that probably many
marginalized kids at school would identify
with
• The page intends at making children laugh
• Children’s (and human) rights are once more
tackled indirectly
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Contents (11)
Part 11: The Pyramid of Happiness
• The pyramid of happiness is based on Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs and constitutes an attempt to
integrate all concepts covered in the magazine
•In fact, to construct their individual pyramid of
happiness, children have to refer to the different
parts of the magazine
•Concepts of physical & mental health, relationships
with the self and with others, citizens’ rights &
duties, and self-realization through arts are
covered in this game
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Parents’ Guide
• Education is not unidirectional
• Parents’ guide addresses safety issues at
and around the home, such as fire and
poisonning prevention
• It also stresses parents’
participation in school life
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Noor & Noora: Impact Assessment
• Focus group study is being conducted at
the moment among a sample of students
to assess impact
• Results will be published
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004
Thank you for listening
Reine Youssef, Ph.D.
UOBRC Research Seminar
June 09, 2004