Access to Technical Supervision and Training Program (Lebanon)

Watch the video about activities on the tourist route so far.

Lebanon has a population of 4.6 million and is 88% urbanised. There is high unemployment (20%) and very low participation of women in economic activity. In 2004, the unemployment rate of women approached 11%. Would be workers emigrate (skilled youths in particular) or do not participate in the work force (women notably). About 2% of the labour force emigrate every year and Lebanon's human capital is progressively eroding.

Reledev Australia Limited in collaboration with AusAID and Association Libanaise pour le Develloppement et la Culture (ALDEC) will deliver short courses in skills directly related to women's involvement in tourism and hospitality activity in villages. The project will also provide technical support for 15 small businesses involving women surveyed from 20 villages between Byblos to El Batroun in the inland Mont Lebanon area. A touristic route will be proposed for the identified area in rural Lebanon.

This project will alleviate poverty in rural Lebanon by preparing women to be capable of supporting tourism and hospitality activity in their villages as either providers of services or in the development of family businesses operated by women.

Training course participants of various ages have come from villages to include: Bejje, Sghar, Achkout, Bcharre, Jal el Dib, Tannourine, Hassroun, Bsamar, Blauza, Zgharta, Maad, Blat, Ghalboun, Nahr Ibrahim, Barabara, Monsef, Jej, Batroun, Chmout, Coura, Hasroun, Garzouz, Jedeyel.

Small businesses operated with the active participation of rural Lebanese women within the villages surveyed included: mini-shops, agro-food production (honey, olive oil, oregano, sumak), olive soap, internet cafe, guide, liquor production (arak, sweet wine), lebanese snacks (Lebanese oregano pizza), rural artisan crafts, souvenirs, restaurants, production of Lebanese sweets, furniture upholstery.

Performance indicators	1 yr Target	Results June 2008
Short Courses for Rural Women
Women trained	210	331
Courses delivered	20	39
Supervision of Small Business
Small Businesses supervised	20	20
Supervision sessions	40	40
Tourist Route Development
Tourist Route Proposal documented	1	1
Tourist Route Stops selected	5	11
Visitors test and provide written evaluation of the route	80	84 (249 international visitors; 326 Lebanese visitors to the route)
Analysis of evaluations	1	1

Updated October 2008