PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 19, 2022
UOSSM USA Partners with U.S. Department of State and Bareeq Educational Enrichment Center to Provide Enrichment and Psychosocial Support Services to Refugees and Underserved Children in Jordan
Edinburg, TX – UOSSM USA was recently awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of State to support educational enrichment integrated with psychosocial support services (PSS) to refugee and underserved children in Jordan. Working in collaboration with Bareeq Educational Enrichment Center (BEEC) in Amman, this after-school program will assist 400 children in becoming better prepared to integrate into local school systems. UOSSM USA will leverage this partnership to incorporate a refugee responsive teaching competencies model (RRTCM) that will enable refugee children to access enrichment programming after school, while also strengthening the capacity of teachers to provide academic enrichment through social emotional learning (SEL) and psychosocial support services (PSS)-specific activities.
The primary objectives of this after-school program are to:
- Improve academic skills of the children via remedial and enrichment programming in an inclusive environment.
- Strengthen the capacity of teachers to provide academic curricula that improves the child’s academic performance and overall wellbeing.
- Enhance the children’s coping mechanisms by providing psychosocial support services (PSS) and fostering social emotional learning (SEL) skills to mitigate their trauma while providing mental health referrals as needed.
Dr. Khaula Sawah, President of UOSSM USA stated, “We are honored to build upon our partnership with the Bareeq Center and have this opportunity to continue enriching the education of these children and providing the psychosocial support they so desperately need. Many of these children are Syrian refugees who have witnessed unimaginable atrocities, the loss of loved ones, displacement, and other traumatic experiences. Through this collaboration, we hope to help these children overcome their trauma and empower them with fair and equal access to education. With the support of the U.S. Department of State, these children will receive the nurturance they need to improve their overall wellbeing and contribute positively to our global society. Children are our future – they are our hope for a better tomorrow. We are very pleased to be a part of this transformational journey which will help them heal as they grow into adolescence and adulthood.”
