On March 2nd, 2019, LCN affiliated organization, Ahel, launched a 14 week Arabic online course on community organizing and leadership. The course pedagogy and design was based on Professor Marshall Ganz’s online course with the Harvard Executive Education program.
The course has gotten amazing attention and was highly competitive. Ahel received 440 applications from 20 different Arab countries, with only 32 seats available. Applicants were individuals or groups with projects to create social change in the country.
The online course is an experiential class with a pedagogy of learn, practice and reflect. Students are given tools to build teamwork, organization and sustainability. More specifically, the program covers the five community organizing practices: public narrative, relationship building, team building, strategy and action. The structure of the class includes lectures, sections, reflections paper and some team assignments. All students are expected to practice what they learned in the course and reflect on their work.
The course is led by Nisreen Haj Ahmad, Lecturer and Mais Irqsusi, Head Teaching Fellow, supported by three Teaching Fellows: Ashraf Hamza, Reem Manna and Juman Abu Jbara.
The course currently has 36 students from 10 Arab countries (Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Oman). 50% of the students are between 20-30 years of age, while the rest are between 31-55. They are engaged in creating social change and are working on a wide variety of issues such as: education, immigrant/refugee/workers’ rights, death penalty, environmental justice, electoral campaigns, inheritance rights, racial justice, healthcare and human rights.
“Not only is this course a great learning experience, it is also a space for Arab leaders and organizers to build relations and connect their struggles without waiting for a difficult to get visa from another Arab country” stated Haj Ahmad stated.
Congratulations to Ahel and their team!
For further information on Ahel:
Website: www.ahel.org
Email: info@ahel.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Ahel.org/