Lebanon MAPS is a refugee led humanitarian organization working towards the dignified futures of the Syrian refugee community.

MAPS is working on revolutionizing what refugee education and livelihood looks like through a holistic approach where they focus on providing highest quality services while strengthening community engagement. At the same time, their mission as an organization is to empower refugees, to maximize their potential by implementing activities with social impact.

In this video, Natalie Garland a Partnership & Research Manager at MAPS in Bekaa, Lebanon, will be talking about a community based participatory research project, that MAPS designed and conducted during the coronavirus lockdown between June and August. Natalie will tell more about how she was able to engage the community in participatory research through the photo voice method.

Here is a post shared from the WEAVED Instagram page:

Picture 1: Muppet crochet 

Picture 2: Heart Bekaa Valley

Nature is the most beautiful thing. It expresses serenity and adds the most beautiful feelings in anything you can hope for. We are from Damascus, we’re used to nature. There are a few differences here in Lebanon but it’s pretty much the same scenery. (…) One is so stressed all day with commotion. All day for example there’s work, exhaustion, tension, and problems. Subhanallah, flowers calm the nerves, your mind relaxes when you look at flowers with a cup of coffee in the peacefulness of the night. (…) This flower is from my family’s house; I liked the scenery at night. I live in a house that’s closed off and doesn’t have many plants. In Syria I used to garden, but here no. The prices are expensive here and there’s no opportunity at all. (Anonymous)

Over to you

Have you ever conducted or been part of a participatory community-based research? Do you think you can benefit from this type of research in your work or studies? In the forum, please share with us your ideas on this research method!