Becoming Coaches: Manar, Yara, And Abeer's Stories

Manar, Yara, and Abeer stand at the front of a packed room during a weekly music session at a community center in Lebanon. They are surrounded by 15 children who are sitting in a semi-circle, their eyes closed, as they listen to their heartbeats. Each child softly claps to the rhythm – fast or slow – reflecting on how their emotions influence the beat.

The three young women used to be child participants in Right To Play’s Music for Development and Social Change program. Today, they lead the music-based sessions as youth coaches, helping children who have experienced conflict and displacement to cope with stress, express themselves, and speak up against unfair treatment.

They know how powerful this support is from their own lived experience. Just a few years ago, they struggled with isolation, self-doubt, and the challenges of growing up amidst Lebanon’s overlapping economic and political crises. But with the help of music, training, and mentorship, they found a sense of purpose and connection with others. Now, they are helping other children do the same.

DISMANTLING BARRIERS FOR DISPLACED YOUTH

Lebanon hosts a significant number of refugees, including approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 211,400 Palestinian refugees. Many of the children who attend Manar, Yara, and Abeer's sessions are refugees who face bullying and harassment in their host communities. Some have had to leave school because Lebanon’s economic crisis has made it difficult for their families to meet basic needs. Many have experienced the trauma of conflict firsthand. Without support systems and opportunity, many youth experience depression and hopelessness about the future. In Lebanon, around 1 in 17 children and adolescents experience depression, while nearly 1 in 5 struggle with anxiety.

Five years ago, Manar, Abeer, and Yara were program participants themselves, struggling with feelings of isolation, frustration, and despair. Writing and performing songs in the program gave them a way to express themselves, a chance to connect with others, a sense of achievement, and ultimately, the confidence to become leaders and inspire that same growth in their peers.

Manar, Abeer, and Yara became youth coaches in 2022. They got training in child protection, psychosocial support, and coaching techniques. They also earned an accredited certification in music production from the Ministry of Education, where they honed their skills in music recording, editing, and production.

As coaches in the program, they support 280 program participants ranging in age from six to 14. The program provides a dependable and safe space where children can talk about how displacement and bullying impact them, work through their emotions, and talk about the issues that affect their lives through song.

Manar, Abeer, and Yara understand the difficulties their peers face and know how to offer just the right encouragement during tough moments. For the participants, seeing someone close in age succeed is a source of hope.

HOW MANAR HELPS HER PEERS EXPRESS THEMSELVES

When she was younger, Manar, 21, was often afraid. She and her family were forced to flee Syria during the war and come to Lebanon as refugees. Adjusting to her new home was difficult; she felt isolated and lacked confidence.

Joining the Music for Social Change program gave her the safe space she needed. “Now, I can be my true self in any situation,” she says confidently.

As a coach, Manar teaches not only musical skills but also life skills, like how children can build their confidence when they're shy. Her favourite activity to lead involves children pretending to be animals in a jungle, making the sounds of their chosen creatures. Another group sings a rhythm-based chant, and the "animals" must match their dance moves to the beat. If they succeed, they all "escape" the jungle together.

“It’s a great activity because many of the children are afraid to make sounds, worried about being teased,” says Manar. “But here, they’re putting themselves out there in a safe space to imagine, express themselves, and learn.”

Using music gives the children a language and a conduit that they can use to channel their emotions in a positive way. “One of my students struggled with anger,” Manar shares. “But after our sessions, she started using music to calm down whenever she felt upset.”

It also gives them a voice on the issues that affect their lives. For example, Manar’s group wrote a song addressing the struggles of stateless children – those who don't have their birth registered in Lebanon, Syria, or the Palestinian Territories – and the bullying they endure.

HOW YARA CREATES SPACE FOR EMOTIONS AND OPENNESS

Manar’s sister, Yara, also struggled with shyness and uncertainty growing up. “I had many bullies who said I didn’t belong,” she recalls. The aggression took a toll on her mental health.

Being in the program helped her build her confidence. She formed deeper friendships. And she learned how to stand up for herself. “I know how to face challenges now and never accept those comments from others,” she says.

As a program participant, Yara experienced how different music affects emotions – fast songs lifted her mood, while somber music gave her the space to dig into some of the negative emotions she felt and understand them better. Now, at age 15, she’s the program’s youngest coach. She loves guiding her peers through their own emotional discoveries and writing songs about the issues they worry about, like early and forced marriage, which is a reality for some of their peers.

In one activity, Yara leads participants in creating music that reflects their emotions by using the app Makey Makey. Youth connect conductive objects – like fruits, foil, or water – to a circuit board that hooks up to their tablet. Once connected, these everyday objects act like piano keys, emitting a musical note when touched.

Yara says being so young herself means she has a special connection with the children she works with. “Often, a coach is a grown-up person who might give a lot of good advice, but maybe not spend as much time listening,” says Yara. “But the children accepted me as a friend, saying my ideas and advice meant a lot to them, and shared everything with me.”

HOW ABEER HELPS HER PEERS INSPIRE CHANGE

Like her friends Manar and Yara, Abeer, 18, has also faced a lot of bullying in her life. Once too nervous to speak up in class, she now leads sessions where she and participants talk and write songs about the impact of bullying and gender-based violence on girls, and how to stop it. Becoming a coach has deepened her confidence – and her feelings of empowerment.

“It feels good to be a friend, creating closeness that lets the children feel free to express themselves in our sessions,” Abeer says.

One of their songs she wrote with the children was focused on the message that a woman can be strong, independent, and shouldn't experience violence. They hope their song will raise awareness of the challenges women face when trying to leave abusive relationships.

The group has been able to share their songs with others. At an event, Manar, Yara, Abeer, and their peers performed their songs live with an audience of 200, including parents, youth, and Right To Play staff.

The event was a powerful moment for the youth to advocate for their rights and send a message of hope – something the coaches have in droves for their peer mentees.