SIMA - Arabic Literacy App
Lucrezia Bisignani (Lebanon)
Lucrezia Bisignani, a native of Italy, attended the Oxford School of Drama and completed the Global Solutions Program at Singularity University. She has created SIMA, a smartphone and tablet game designed to aid Arabic literacy while providing psycho-social support for Syrian refugee children, ages 5 to 10 years old. Working with refugees in Lebanon, Lucrezia is testing and refining her app to ensure that the thousands of out-of-school children residing in refugee camps will have access to SIMA. SIMA teaches reading and writing skills while encouraging learning through fun, interactive literacy exercises that advance with the student’s proficiency. Ultimately, SIMA will be available for wide distribution among Arabic-speaking Syrian refugee children.
We fund programs, projects and products that aim to positively impact the lives of communities (children, youth, families, etc.) affected by conflict and war in the Middle East.
Refugee children live under unusual and difficult conditions with little or no access to technology that can improve their lives. With our innovative programs, we are reaching a wide range of children with groundbreaking technology that teach them literacy skills and improve their access to higher education.
Millions of refugee children are missing out on an education. Without an opportunity to learn, they risk becoming a lost generation with little chance for a better future. Through sustainable programs, our Fellows are working to ensure refugees can learn and develop the skills they need to succeed in life.
The development of the "whole child" from early childhood through adolescence is critical to long-term development and success of all children. Blossom Hill is committed to providing innovative initiatives for refugee children that will not only prepare them for learning and academic success, but empower them with life skills as they continue to live under difficult conditions.
For refugee youth whose education has been interrupted and ability to earn a livelihood undermined by war and conflict, the future is bleak. We are dedicated to empowering these youth to break from the cycle of poverty by offering innovative vocational training in computer skills, business entrepreneurship and language instruction.