Hadeer and Malak in Berlin, 2021
Hadeer and Malak in Berlin, 2021

Tandem 360° Makanouna Initiative: a short movie “Jaras”

Malak Rahal from Architects for Change in Beirut, Lebanon shares a short video "Jaras". Malak was working in Tandem with Hadeer Dahab from Athar Lina in Cairo, Egypt. They worked on the project "Makanouna: Re-thinking Spaces from a Youth Perspective".

On the opposite side of Tripoli’s Citadel, there is a neighborhood where three kids Bashir, Fadi, and Ahlam live in. Their houses and even their school are linked by pedestrian alleyways and stairs that shaped their daily life. One aspect that seems different about their streets from the rest of the neighborhood is “The sound of the bell”. It’s the bell that initiates their daily community activities and alters their lives in a positive manner. After a day at school, Bashir looks concerned about his exam result and is reluctant to tell his mom about it, but the bell ends up saving the day.

Who is behind the sound of the bell?

This film reveals how the urban fabric of the neighborhood operates in an intriguing manner shaping the lives of its children. All of that is because of a woman, Hajje Fahde. Her sense of belonging to the neighborhood made her a referent for the kids and their parents. She is constantly learning and has exciting ideas that benefit her surroundings and she is confident in making the alleyways look as beautiful as they can. She paints the walls with colors, recycles materials and uses them as pots for her plants. She teaches the children the importance of planting and gathering garbage in one place.