322 students from several Lebanese universities, the American University of Beirut (AUB), the Lebanese-American University (LAU), the International University of Lebanon (LIU), the Saint-Joseph University (USJ), the he University of Balamand (UOB) and the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS), participated in the first edition of the SDG Brain Lab program organized by the United Nations Global Compact Network in Lebanon (GCNL). This 7-month accelerator aims to give young Lebanese aged 18 to 24 the means to propose innovative entrepreneurial solutions to counter the most pressing social, economic and environmental challenges, and thus become actors of change. “If we want the future generation to commit to sustainable development, we have to start raising awareness among young people about this subject. The idea of this program is to connect students to the ecosystem and put them in touch with the major players in this field,” explains Deenah Fakhoury, Executive Director of GCNL. And to add: “In addition, we have worked with the private sector to offer internship opportunities to students. We have also developed a league of ambassadors so that they set up activities in universities. Divided into different groups, the participants in this program “identified problems related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) facing Lebanon and tried to remedy them by proposing digital solutions”, explains Dima Ismail, one of the participants and co-founder of the Tarkiz application. During this process, the young people were mentored by 123 experts from different sectors. At the end of the program, three participating teams distinguished themselves, winning monetary prizes as well as support from Berytech for the financing of their applications.
Relief365, an app for cancer patients
Unique in the region, the Relief365 application (Relief 365) won the first prize, collecting a budget of 5,000 dollars intended to take it from the conceptual stage to its realization. Created by Sara el-Koussa, Maissoun Kassem, John Chwah, Rosette Hasse, Rheya al-Feghali and Joy Khalil, this application, which focuses on SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), is easy to use and inclusive. It allows cancer patients to talk at any time with a specialized oncology nurse or other healthcare professionals and thus better manage their symptoms. This application, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, also allows users to find and order their medications. “My mother died of cancer. When she was diagnosed, we felt lost, especially at the beginning: what to do with the symptoms, which doctor to contact, what to expect… I wanted to do something to help people who are going through the same situation,” says Sara el-Koussa, one of the co-founders. Her teammate Maissoun Kassem says: “Each of us knows someone who has been there. According to a WHO report from March 2021, Lebanon has experienced 28,764 cases of cancer in the past 5 years, including 6,438 deaths in 2020 alone. Many people experience these difficulties every day. Our application will allow them to be assisted at any time, tell them if they need hospitalization or not, offer them a list of available doctors who meet their needs and even provide them with psychological support. »
Tarkiz, an application for children with attention deficit disorder
The second winning project, entitled Tarkiz (concentration) focuses on SDG 4 (Quality Education). The co-founders came up with an app designed for children ages 4-9 with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). It aims to stimulate their memory and strengthen their concentration skills. The team, made up of Niveen Younis, Dima Ismail, Sara Hdaife, Yasmine Seifeldine eissy, chose to work on children with special needs in order to raise public awareness on this subject. “I had a hearing loss when I was little. This caused my exclusion from school. I had to change schools to feel better. The support system I got and the support of my family helped me a lot. Society puts too much pressure on people with special needs. We want them to feel that they belong everywhere,” says Niveen Younis. “Our application consists of digital school and social support for children with ADHD, their parents and the school community”, underlines Yasmine Seifeldine. Tarkiz includes different levels of difficulty. Little users are evaluated through games and receive a badge after passing each level. “They will play 10 mini-games that strengthen memory: remembering shapes, colors and objects, for example. After each level, parents receive an evaluation so that they can monitor their child’s progress,” explains Dima Ismail. The application also includes a forum where users can discuss and share their experiences. Available in English and Arabic, Tarkiz also includes free downloadable resources that can be used offline given the frequent internet shutdowns in Lebanon.
The future is female, to promote the sexual and reproductive health of women
The third prize was awarded to Hiba Bahmad, Aseel Derbieh, Haïfa Jammaz, Reem Timani and Nancy Abou Ibrahim who proposed The future is female, an application that offers young Lebanese women aged 14 to 18 private, affordable and anonymous access to sexual and reproductive health information, products and services. “Sexual health is a taboo in our society, so it’s important to shed light on it. It’s a real need among young people,” says Aseel Derbieh. “The internet is not enough to get information and some young women do not know who to contact, especially if they are not married,” says Hiba Bahmad. “Sometimes they can’t even ask their parents. The application puts users in contact with specialists, midwives, social workers, gynecologists and doctors, whom they can consult anonymously if they wish. Young people can discuss by telephone, video conference or in writing while remaining anonymous. They can also have products delivered from pharmacies discreetly. “We’re going to hold focus groups on campus to ask young women what they would expect from such an app, ask for their input, and make sure they aren’t afraid to download and use it. adds Aseel Derbieh.
322 students from several Lebanese universities, the American University of Beirut (AUB), the Lebanese-American University (LAU), the International University of Lebanon (LIU), the Saint-Joseph University (USJ), the he University of Balamand (UOB) and the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS), participated in the first edition of the SDG program…