How a Midlife Crisis Became a Lifeline: Building Alsama in Beirut
February 13, 2026
“At judgement day… we were going to have to explain ourselves.”
When Richard Verity and Meike Ziervogel moved to Beirut in 2018, they found a generation of Syrian refugees with “no possibility of education,” and decided to step in.
So they built Alsama, and used an unconventional tool as their main teaching method: cricket.
At Alsama, 90% of students arrive unable to write their own names in Arabic, let alone English. This year, the first cohort will graduate into universities – some internationally.
What was meant to be a one year mission for Richard and Meike has become nearly seven — and they’ve committed to staying another ten.
Watch the full report on how a “midlife crisis” turned into a lifeline for thousands.
#Beirut #Alsama #SyrianRefugees #SocialImpact #Syria
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