Lebanon and Ukraine
December took us to two places profoundly shaped by war and uncertainty,
in Lebanon and Ukraine, we were privileged to facilitate two very different, yet closely connected training courses for local professionals who continue to create spaces for care, connection and support under extremely challenging circumstances
LEBANON
In Lebanon, Sounds of Change trainers Nour Hanna and Lucas Dols, together with our colleague Anne Don from Trauma International, facilitated a five-day training course for 23 local professionals working in psychosocial support and humanitarian response.
Returning to Lebanon after many years felt both beautiful and confronting. It is a country with which Sounds of Change feels deeply connected, yet the reality on the ground is heavy. The ongoing economic crisis, a failing and corrupt government, and the continued conflict with Israel all shape daily life. Although there is officially a ceasefire, bombardments still occur weekly in the south and other regions, sometimes even close to Beirut. During our training week, attacks took place in the south and east, and in Beirut the constant presence of Israeli drones was both visible and audible.
Participants from five organisations joined the training:Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, Amal, Clown Me In, Première Urgence and Peace of Art. With some of them, our collaboration dates back as far as 2017. It was deeply moving to reconnect with them after so many years and to see how their work has grown and continued despite everything. It was particularly rewarding to see how much they still apply the content and principles from their initial training, all those years ago.
The group included therapists, aid workers, programme managers, community workers and clowns. Everyone brought a wealth of experience, allowing the training content to connect seamlessly with their existing knowledge and practice. Together, we explored trauma and trauma-sensitive facilitation, and shared practical tools using music, movement and the arts.
Some of the feedback from our participants reflected what we felt throughout the week:
“The training connected trauma theory with practical tools in a way that felt immediately usable.
Actually doing the musical and artistic exercises helped me truly understand their impact.”
“It was gentle and powerful at the same time. We learned about trauma, yet experienced joy,
calm and connection. This is exactly what trauma-sensitive work should feel like.”
“I felt safe, seen and welcomed. What I learned supports me not only in my work, but also personally.
I carry this with me every day.”
We are extremely grateful that we were able to offer something meaningful and practical, even if our contribution represents only a small part of the much larger work these Changemakers carry out every single day. Their dedication, resilience and care, under such complex and demanding circumstances, continue to inspire us profoundly.
UKRAINE
From Lebanon, we travelled directly to Ukraine, where we reached an important milestone: our very first overseas 'Training of Trainers’ sessions.
This training was facilitated by Sounds of Change trainers Kateryna Kudasheva, Sander van Goor and Marijn Korff de Gidts, and focused on equipping 23 local trainers and schoolteachers, to train their own colleagues. This step is crucial for building sustainable, locally rooted capacity, especially in a context where continuity is constantly under pressure.
In preparation for this first international Training of Trainers, we brought together our entire international trainer team last November for an intensive week in The Hague. It was the first time we had all come together in this way.
During this week, we pooled our collective knowledge, experience and creative ideas, and worked intensively to develop and structure the programme together. It was demanding, but deeply enriching. A week of shared vision, reflection and collaboration.
It was therefore incredibly encouraging to see this month how enthusiastic and dedicated the first group of participants in the 'Training of Trainers' course in Ukraine were about this development. Their motivation to pass on what they learned to their colleagues reaffirmed for us the importance of this next step. We will share more about this in our next newsletter, as part of the long-term impact plan we are currently implementing.
Some reactions from participants:
“It feels like flying out of the nest, we carry this knowledge with us,
while knowing that supervision and ongoing support are always there.”
“The combination of theory and practice helped me a lot.
The theory is very deep, detailed, and gives me a strong foundation.”
“It is my inner wish to share this method. I want everyone to experience it.”
As part of the training to become more skilled and confident in facilitating creative processes, the trainees wrote this song together (with English subtitles):
Working in Lebanon and Ukraine this month showed us once again the power of believing in, and investing in, people. Even (and perhaps especially) in the most complex circumstances.
With heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this work possible, and to all participants who shared their time, energy and trust with us.
Special thanks go to the DROSOS Foundation, Lerak Foundation, BBT Community Fund, Shams Rumi Foundation and Dorcas Ukraine.
Thank you for reading to the end of our 'Stories of Change' newsletter.
Next year, we will continue our online and in-person training with local professionals who do important work for people in Palestine (Gaza and the West Bank), Jordan, Lebanon, and Ukraine.
If you would like to support our work with a one-time or monthly financial contribution, we would greatly appreciate it. Sharing our story with others who may be interested also helps us enormously.
With love, warmth and peaceful Christmas wishes,
Lucas, Nour, Marijn, Sander, Kateryna and the rest of the Sounds of Change team
