Clicode Lab began with a question: in a world where children are surrounded by technology, who is helping them become its creators, not only its consumers? Through our humanitarian work, we have seen how confidently children use smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence. Yet many children in Lebanon still lack safe pathways to understand technology and use it to address social problems affecting their communities.

Clicode Lab is our response. It is designed to become Lebanon’s first child-centered technology solution lab, helping children transform community challenges into technology solutions.

Rather than offering another short coding course, we are building a pathway in which children identify a problem, understand the people affected, imagine an idea, build it, test it, and improve it. Technology is a tool for responding to social challenges. Our vision is simple: children in Lebanon, regardless of background, growing from technology consumers into creators of solutions for their communities.

Clicode Lab is being built by volunteers and professionals who share this vision. Along the way, we have learned that leadership is not about doing everything ourselves. It is about creating shared purpose, defining responsibilities, and giving others space to contribute and lead.

Turning Clicode Lab from an idea into a realistic project reshaped our understanding of leadership, project management, peacebuilding and trauma awareness. Developing the conflict tree, stakeholder analysis, Theory of Change, logframe, work plan and resource plan taught us that a strong idea needs structure, shared responsibility and space for others to lead.

Central Bekaa’s diversity also showed us that peacebuilding can be embedded in the process. Children from different backgrounds can listen to one another, cooperate, navigate differences and create solutions around shared challenges.

Our humanitarian experience reminded us that instability can affect children’s safety, trust and sense of control. While technology cannot heal trauma, a safe, consistent environment can foster belonging, choice and agency.

Together, these lessons shape Clicode Lab: project management provides structure, leadership creates shared purpose, peacebuilding strengthens collaboration, and trauma awareness keeps dignity and safety at its center.

From August to December 2026, we will prepare the space, curriculum, equipment, team and safeguarding systems, then pilot the pathway with 20 children. Lessons from the pilot will shape a 2027 cycle serving up to 48 children and guide responsible expansion. Caregiver consent, safeguarding, confidentiality and responsible technology use will be built in from the beginning. Partnerships with universities, technology companies, NGOs, professionals and diaspora mentors will provide expertise, equipment, mentoring and opportunities for user testing.

Under “From Clicks to Solutions,” we will share the journey through schools, community outreach, social media, exhibitions and an interactive digital experience. We will measure competency growth, teamwork, confidence and solution quality. We aim to create eight solutions, test five, improve four and support two to continue beyond the Lab. But our most important result is a child who leaves Clicode Lab believing: “We can create with technology, solve social problems and help shape the future of our communities.”