TerraNet’s Mission to Connect All of Lebanon

The #GetOnline Initiative

Installing TerraNet earlier today on the roof of the new Kahwetna location

TerraNet reached out to me a few weeks back, to tell me about their ambitious CSR campaign to connect schools across the country with free, high-speed Internet. The #GetOnline initiative is the perfect example of a company giving back to the community in the best way possible: getting young people online in places where they previously couldn’t.

Luckily, this coincided with the MARCH Kawhetna cultural cafe’s relocation and expansion in Tripoli, right on the former frontline of Syria Street between Beb El Tebbeneh and Jabal Mohsen. That’s when we decided to pitch the cafe to the TerraNet team, explaining what we do there, how it’s a hub for all our development projects in the region and how quickly we outgrow our first location and its terribly spotty Internet connection.

We were delighted when TerraNet agreed to install high speed unlimited internet connection through microwave for one year for free. Preliminary tests before installation showed extremely promising potential for a reliable, fast connection in an area where Internet connection is notoriously terrible.

Why Getting Connected is Essential for Kahwetna

Being able to #GetOnline is essential for Kahwetna’s success. Apart from helping the MARCH team run our many projects in the area, from the Beb El Dahab rebuilder’s initiative, to football tournaments, the stateless dilemma, drug awareness campaigns, countering violent extremism initiatives and regular trainings, workshops and events, having WiFi attracts a lot of young men and women from both neighborhoods to come and hang out in the safe space MARCH has created.

MARCH struggled to find affordable, reliable connections for the new cafe and cultural center’s location. With TerraNet, this will no longer be a problem, and the TerraNet team even offered the ability to sell DSL connectivity to our neighbors too! Helping not just Kahwetna get connected, but the entire marginalized areas of Beb El Tebbeneh and Jabal Mohsen.

History of Kahwetna

Back in late 2014, the MARCH team went up to Tripoli just before the clashes were stopped, and brought together young men and women from Beb El Tebbeneh and Jabal Mohsen to create a play about their lives and circumstances. Over the course of more than a year, the actors transitioned from former combatants and prospective refugees, into youth leaders in their communities, solidifying reconciliation and bringing the severely neglected communities together for a common cause: peace and prosperity far from violence and extremism.

Security concerns, resistance and intimidation from local non-state actors and a deep distrust and fear of each other took months to thaw, but the results stunned everyone, including the MARCH team and our partners. A witty, honest play that eloquently satirized the tragic conditions the actors face every day which the actors co-wrote and co-directed was the result of months of stubborn perseverance. It toured all over the country and a documentary that cataloged the arduous process was also received with much praise and massive boosts of serotonin for everyone who witnessed them and got to meet the actors.

But, that wasn’t enough. Capitalizing on the positive momentum of the play “Love And War on the Rooftop”, MARCH decided to turn the results into a more sustainable project. That’s when Kahwetna: Cafe bi Kafak was born. Early 2016 saw the official opening of “Kahwetna”, which has since seen dozens of events, festivals, workshops and themed nights. The ever-growing Beb El Dahab project, as well as all of MARCH’s other projects in the region, meant we needed a bigger space to be able to host more people and projects. That’s when we found the new Kahwetna location, and spent the past 3 months in 2017 renovating and equipping it, and officially opening it to the public in mid-November!

Four Schools Across Lebanon will also #GetOnline with TerraNet

Intilaka School in Akkar, Goodwill School in Beit Misk, Lycee Notre Dame de Maghdouche in Maghdouche and Zein El Abidin in the Bekaa will all also get free Internet for the next year, along with free installation.

I absolutely love this initiative, and feel that having the ability to go online, with the parental control services offered by TerraNet, is essential to give students in under-privileged areas and communities the chance to further their education and increase their chances in succeeding later in life. It also provides entertainment, not just education, especially in rural areas where safe, fun spaces are often replaced with environments that foster bad habits and extreme ideologies.

Thank You TerraNet

I’d like to wholeheartedly thank the TerraNet team for coming up with and executing this initiative. Most companies would spend money on silly ads and lame campaigns, so seeing TerraNet decide to invest that money in communities and projects that need that support, is extremely encouraging.

Kahwetna Official OPENING on November 16

We invite you all to come and test out our new TerraNet connection, and see our gorgeous new location, furnished with home-made, up-cycled furniture. The cafe will include a large event space, a cozy cafe, multipurpose rooms for trainings, classes and meetings. Later this year, we will also inaugurate a fully-equipped recording studio too!

The opening is on November 16th, starting 3PM. You will find us on Syria Street! See you all there.

Careem Just Got Ubered with the #CareemDanceOff

I’m sure you all saw the Careem billboards challenging Uber to a Dance Off. I personally saw them while stuck in traffic in Ubers all this week since my car is in the shop. Anyway, the campaign was all over the place, and here’s the official challenge posted on Careem Lebanon’s Instagram page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaKCKiunNb-/?taken-by=careemleb

I Love It When Brands Do This Kind of Marketing

Pepsi vs Coca Cola abroad? Almaza vs Beirut Beer here at home? Yes please! I love the more aggressive marketing campaigns that make each brand seek to one-up the other in comebacks and execution of each campaign.

It’s been a delight, although a little confusing, seeing that unfold between Careem and Uber in Lebanon the past couple of weeks. Lots of you asked me what this campaign was about, and to be honest, I just understood what was happening today, after the Dance Off had already happened…

Post-Dance Off

Now, for some reason, the Facebook Live video on Careem’s Facebook page doesn’t have any dancing in it, just over 9 minutes of the MC introducing what’s gonna happen after no audio for a few minutes at first. I guess maybe they’re working on the final video with the actual dance off, but as of this post, 2 hours after the #DanceOff happened in Beirut Souks, there was still nothing.

I did manage to find a clip posted by Beiruting.com on their Instagram page though:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BajY9O3FncQ/?tagged=careemdanceoff

Uber’s Epic Response

I was wondering why Uber hadn’t come out with anything, seeing how the Careem campaign was all over the place. Then, they unleashed this savage comeback, turning Careem’s publicity stunt into a chance to do some positive impact by painting one of Beirut’s iconic stairways, as well donate to the Ayadina NGO. Ayadina’s “about” section states:

For children and youth, the association offers an Arts Education program. This unique program addresses social problems by providing opportunities for channeling emotions into creative expression, cultural and artistic exposure, talent development, improved academic achievement, and economic empowerment

source

Uber 1–0 Careem

I guess it’s safe to say that Careem just got seriously #Ubered… Here’s why:

The campaign wasn’t clear. How is it a dance off if Uber isn’t part of it? Who’s gonna do the dancing? At first I thought they got the Uber and Careem drivers to rehearse interpretive dance routines and perform them on a Sunday afternoon at Beirut Souks. I was obviously wrong 😛
The technical difficulties and lack of engagement on the #CareemDanceOff hashtag made the handful of people who happened to be in Beirut Souks actually see what happened.
Uber Lebanon’s savage comeback was both tasteful, and for a more noble cause, making Careem’s fun and edgy dance off idea seem a bit tasteless in comparison. Uber was “too busy painting stairways” *BURN* to participate, but committed to donate an amount that matched Careem’s viewership on their Dance Off live-streamed video to Ayadina. That’s some woke stuff. Brilliant.

So, I’m calling the first round in this epic marketing clash between Uber and Careem in Lebanon, to Uber. Can’t wait for the next one!

You Get Uber Discounts from these 6 Beirut Clubs and Restaurants Now

Don’t Drink and Drive. Drink and Ride.

If you’re anything like me, the time you really love Beirut the most is at night. After all, it’s less hot at night, there’s definitely less traffic, you can usually find a free parking spot somewhere on the street and all in all it’s a lot less chaotic than daytime Beirut.

But, we’re also a city that likes to party, almost every day of the week, then later have a hearty breakfast at a restaurant that stays open till late. This means that driving at night is dangerous and stressful, and that the hundreds of young people who die on the street each year, do so at night…

That’s why I absolutely loved the new Uber promo codes you can get from some of your favorite clubs and 24/7 restaurants. Each venue’s promo code gets you a 20% discount on your ride to and from your nocturnal (or early morning!) destination

The Venues

Bar Du Port

Located in Saifi, right after Freddy’s.

Caprice

Located on the Dora seaside

Discotek

At The Garten venue on the Beirut Waterfront

Iris

On the Annahar building rooftop

The Garten

At the Beirut Waterfront

Zaatar w Zeit

ZwZ Sodeco, Bliss, Zalka and Gemmayzeh branches.

Why It’s Better to Uber When Out Clubbing

Cars are the worst hassle when you go clubbing:

You’re always a bit worried about how much you drink, and how late you stay out.
You always have to put up with the valet, then spend way too much time waiting for your car to arrive as you stand outside the club in the heat/cold. And of course, hope your seat and radio settings are still the way you left them when you handed them the keys…

The valet occupies most of the reasonably-distanced free parking spots, and in other places, the city or landowner doesn’t let you park on the side of the street, like at the Beirut Waterfront.
You’re always anxious about that friend you’re worried had too much to drink, with a dead phone battery, who you’re not sure got home safe after the club.
Accidents and checkpoints mean you sometimes spend time stuck in traffic, even in the middle of the night, which only bums you out on the way to or back from wherever you want to go.

All that could be solved by just cabbing it. No 10,000 LL parking 1000 meters away. No valet that you can’t really trust your car with, which makes you wait when all you wanna do is just get home and into your bed. No driving through traffic. No getting a fine for speeding or parking. No worrying if you can have those two extra shots and still be ok to drive home at night with drunk drivers all around you…

I’ve posted the promo codes from most of the venues below. You could always just ask them for it too. These promo codes are valid through the summer!

Garten: “garten” / Iris: “IrisXuber” / ZwZ: zwzsodeco, zwzbliss, zwzzalka, zwzgemmayze

Please, don’t drink and drive. Focus on having an awesome night, and don’t risk your life or the lives of other people by driving while intoxicated. Why stress yourself out with parkings, valets and walking to the venue when someone can drop you right at the line into a club and then pick you up so you can get back safe and sound to your bed? Most nights I go clubbing, I Uber, and I don’t even drink that much, it just saves me the hassle of parkings and valets (and the long drive home after 6AM!)

If you still aren’t an Uber user, make sure you also use my promo code: “prnib” and that way we each get $5 of Uber credit ❤

Earn Money Tutoring this Summer with Synkers

With unemployment over 30%, and youth unemployment over 50%, Lebanon and the Lebanese are suffering under the current circumstances. I have more friends working in Gulf countries or doing their masters degrees abroad, then I do here.

Money is short, and jobs are short too. The traditional ways of making money are kinda no longer valid under the extreme corruption and lack of vision from Lebanon’s government.

That’s why new startups that are disrupting Lebanon’s failing economy might be the key to many young people trying to make ends meet without being forced to leave Lebanon in search of a better life.

Synkers

I discovered Synkers a few weeks ago, and loved the idea behind it. Synkers is a Lebanese startup that’s transforming the way you can find a tutor, or be one. It’s a very user-friendly app, available on Android and iOS.

The idea is, you can select the course or subject you need help in, and then browse the verified tutors, their ratings and their reviews. You then select your favorite, choose a time and date, and payment method (cash at the session, or card via the app).

Synkers has more than 600 verified tutors so far, and 6000 active users in their community. If you don’t need a tutor for your university or school work, you can become a tutor!

If you had good grades in school or university, and pass the interview and verification process, you can make good money helping others in their studies for school, university or standardized tests. It’s also not just in Lebanon, with several other places like the UAE also available.

So, if you like tutoring, and want to earn money this summer tutoring others, but don’t want the hassle that usually entails (finding the students, arranging payment, etc.) You can do all of that via an app, with a few taps now.

The Process:

Download Synkers now.

Beirut Geek Fest THIS Weekend!

The Beirut Geek Fest 2017 is happening this weekend at the Beirut Digital District (BDD)! Video games, VR games, board games, geeky merchandise, a cosplay competition and a rooftop party on Saturday night are all part of the geek-centric fun this weekend!

Tickets are for $7 online, and $10 at the door. The fun starts at 2:00PM and keeps going till past 8:00PM.

I highly recommend you try out “Vindicta” by Game Cooks, the first Lebanese game to make it to E3 this year! If you’re excited about VR games, this one is quite the gem, and the best part is it was Made in Lebanon ❤

If you’re into cosplay, make sure you wear your favorite character to Geek Fest cause there’s a competition by Lebanese Otaku.

So, whether you’re a cutting-edge builder, an aspiring game developer, a proper board game aficionado or just your run of the mill geek like me, then see you all at the Beirut Geek Fest 2017!

RSVP Here

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