Lebanon: Should I stay or should I go?

In this episode we tackle education, and find out how the economic crisis is affecting students. We speak to Michelle and Fatima, students at the Lebanese University. We also hear from Hassan Jaafar, the headmaster of a public school in the Bekaa Valley, who tells us why he feels he failed his students. And philosophy teacher Boushra Saab talks about the mental health crisis she has witnessed in Lebanon's public schools. "Lebanon: should I stay or should I go?" podcast is produced by Sowt for Context, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s digital news platform, and it is the story of a nation's collapse as told by its own people. This episode was produced by Tareq Ayoub and Basant Samhout, hosted by Nazih Osseiran. Sound Design by Siham Arous. Editorial support by Rana Daoud. The show's Executive Producer is Nada Issa. Original score is composed by Firas Abou Fakher. https://www.context.news/

In this episode, we put Lebanon’s healthcare sector under the microscope and find out how corruption and mismanagement made the effects of the wider economic collapse even worse and left the sector on its deathbed. Our guests are Dr. Anis Germany, a public health expert, and Nibal Dahouk, a health sector activist. We also hear from 46- year-old Wissam al-Nahhas who works at a grocery store and lives with kidney failure. "Lebanon: should I stay or should I go?" is produced by Sowt for Context, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s digital news platform, and it is the story of a nation's collapse as told by its own people. This episode was produced by Layla Yammine and Basant Samhout, hosted by Nazih Osseiran. Sound Design by Siham Arous. Editorial support by Rana Daoud. The show's Executive Producer is Nada Issa. Original score is composed by Firas Abou Fakher. https://www.context.news/

In this episode, we take listeners to Tripoli, Lebanon's second city and one of the poorest urban areas on the Mediterranean coast. We visit the slums of Hayy al Tanak in Tripoli and then head to Hermel, a poor district where crime is rife and tribal vendettas are common. People here let us into their lives and share what it is like to be cast aside and forgotten by the very people who are supposed to be taking care of them – their government. And Farah Al Shami, a development economist and fellow at the Arab Reform Initiative, tells us how the economic meltdown has affected the most vulnerable. "Lebanon: should I stay or should I go?" is produced by Sowt for Context, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s digital news platform, and it is the story of a nation's collapse as told by its own people. This episode was produced by Layla Yammine and Basant Samhout, hosted by Nazih Osseiran. Sound Design by Siham Arous. Editorial support by Rana Daoud. The show's Executive Producer is Nada Issa. Original score is composed by Firas Abou Fakher. https://www.context.news/

For years, Lebanon was seen as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people from the region, but that is changing. Religious leaders and conservative politicians are fanning the flames of intolerance, and queer people say they are being scapegoated and blamed for the country's economic and social failings. In episode 1 of "Lebanon: should I stay or should I go?" we hear from Adam, Joe and Karim who tell us how they are coping with this increasingly hostile environment in their homeland. We also speak to activist Maya Al Ammar about the current state of LGBTQ+ rights in the country. "Lebanon: should I stay or should I go?" is produced by Sowt for Context, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s digital news platform and it is the story of a nation's collapse as told by its own people. This episode was produced by Jawad Rizkallah and Basant Samhout, hosted by Nazih Osseiran. Sound Design by Siham Arous. Editorial support by Rana Daoud. The show's Executive Producer is Nada Issa. Original score is composed by Firas Abou Fakher. https://www.context.news/