LEAD Palestine
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RJ first volunteered in refugee camps in Palestine when he was a freshman in high school. It was there that he was offered his first cigarette, by a 12 year-old named Odayee. RJ saw the immense struggle that the children within these refugee camps faced, but he also was inspired by the light that they bring to life. He thought that if these children could tap into their inner potential, their unknown capabilities, they would be able to overcome many of the struggles facing them and their communities.
Throughout our lives growing up in the States, we have had the opportunity to be involved in many different leadership roles. We have seen first hand the power of meaningful, impactful, and empowering leadership– it can do wonders both for an individual and for those around them. Through simple, hands-on, fun, workshops and activities, the LEAD Palestine team believes that we can help the youth find their leadership potential that lies within them.
In August of 2016 we made a trip around the West Bank to meet with community leaders, UN school staff, teachers, and, most importantly, kids living in many communities around Palestine.
LEAD Palestine is an initiative where we aim to inspire, motivate, and empower the next generation of Palestinian youth. Through mentorship and hands on engagement, we hope to give these children the fundamental leadership tools they need to thrive in their communities.
We intend to implement a one-week long summer day camp. Our target demographic is boys and girls aged between 12 and 14 years old. Studies show that adolescence is an important time for development in one’s life and we believe that if we can intervene at this critical point, providing an outlet for personal development–creating a sense of purpose and character–we can make a profound impact on these children that will benefit them for the rest of their life.
During our first year, we aim to work within New Askar refugee camp. It is a camp that is five kilometers outside of the city of Nablus in the West Bank. New Askar is categorized as Zone B land; meaning, it is under Israeli control. Because of this, the Palestinian Authority as well as the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) is not allowed into New Askar to provide any services.
This has created disastrous circumstances for the residents of New Askar. It hosts a 70% unemployment rate, and with no police presence within the camp, it is prone to drug abuse. Water is not always available and electricity is not reliable. Because of these conditions, many resistance fighters come from New Askar to join resistance efforts against Israel. The United Nations has expressed the need for sustainable programs that can offset the dangerous trends that exist within New Askar.
This summer camp will be made up of fun, hands-on, leadership based workshops and activities. Hosted by experts in a wide range of categories, they are designed to be engaging and will offer the children a chance for reflection to take away concepts and knowledge about themselves and their own strengths that they can later apply in their life.
In terms of long-term sustainability, we will establish a mentorship program with local university students. They will serve as the counselors throughout the duration of the camp. After the camp, they will transition into a year-long mentorship role, similar to that of the "Big Brother, Big Sister" program. Beyond the mentorship, we will work with the New Askar camp to establish a student council for the youth. This will serve as the means by which the children are able to continue to develop their leadership skills through their own programming and civic engagement.
We thank you very much for your generous donations. God willing, we hope that we can offer a sustainable and lasting impact on the youth.
The funds will help cover the costs of the following-
-Travel expenses for the camp counselors
-Two meals a day for the students
-Living expenses within the West Bank for the camp counselors
-Camp shirts for the students
-Workshop supplies and materials
-Stipends for the mentors in order to ensure a sustainable, lasting impact is made with their mentees
-Establishment of student council in New Askar and sponsorship of activities developed within the Student Council
-Potential civic engagment projects within New Askar and rest of West Bank
Our vision is that we can inspire and equip these children with skills and enable their own capacities to be the change makers in their communities. We hope to offer the chance for these students to express their frustrations and pains in healthy ways so that they do not have to resort to violence and drug abuse.
Throughout our lives growing up in the States, we have had the opportunity to be involved in many different leadership roles. We have seen first hand the power of meaningful, impactful, and empowering leadership– it can do wonders both for an individual and for those around them. Through simple, hands-on, fun, workshops and activities, the LEAD Palestine team believes that we can help the youth find their leadership potential that lies within them.
In August of 2016 we made a trip around the West Bank to meet with community leaders, UN school staff, teachers, and, most importantly, kids living in many communities around Palestine.
LEAD Palestine is an initiative where we aim to inspire, motivate, and empower the next generation of Palestinian youth. Through mentorship and hands on engagement, we hope to give these children the fundamental leadership tools they need to thrive in their communities.
We intend to implement a one-week long summer day camp. Our target demographic is boys and girls aged between 12 and 14 years old. Studies show that adolescence is an important time for development in one’s life and we believe that if we can intervene at this critical point, providing an outlet for personal development–creating a sense of purpose and character–we can make a profound impact on these children that will benefit them for the rest of their life.
During our first year, we aim to work within New Askar refugee camp. It is a camp that is five kilometers outside of the city of Nablus in the West Bank. New Askar is categorized as Zone B land; meaning, it is under Israeli control. Because of this, the Palestinian Authority as well as the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) is not allowed into New Askar to provide any services.
This has created disastrous circumstances for the residents of New Askar. It hosts a 70% unemployment rate, and with no police presence within the camp, it is prone to drug abuse. Water is not always available and electricity is not reliable. Because of these conditions, many resistance fighters come from New Askar to join resistance efforts against Israel. The United Nations has expressed the need for sustainable programs that can offset the dangerous trends that exist within New Askar.
This summer camp will be made up of fun, hands-on, leadership based workshops and activities. Hosted by experts in a wide range of categories, they are designed to be engaging and will offer the children a chance for reflection to take away concepts and knowledge about themselves and their own strengths that they can later apply in their life.
In terms of long-term sustainability, we will establish a mentorship program with local university students. They will serve as the counselors throughout the duration of the camp. After the camp, they will transition into a year-long mentorship role, similar to that of the "Big Brother, Big Sister" program. Beyond the mentorship, we will work with the New Askar camp to establish a student council for the youth. This will serve as the means by which the children are able to continue to develop their leadership skills through their own programming and civic engagement.
We thank you very much for your generous donations. God willing, we hope that we can offer a sustainable and lasting impact on the youth.
The funds will help cover the costs of the following-
-Travel expenses for the camp counselors
-Two meals a day for the students
-Living expenses within the West Bank for the camp counselors
-Camp shirts for the students
-Workshop supplies and materials
-Stipends for the mentors in order to ensure a sustainable, lasting impact is made with their mentees
-Establishment of student council in New Askar and sponsorship of activities developed within the Student Council
-Potential civic engagment projects within New Askar and rest of West Bank
Our vision is that we can inspire and equip these children with skills and enable their own capacities to be the change makers in their communities. We hope to offer the chance for these students to express their frustrations and pains in healthy ways so that they do not have to resort to violence and drug abuse.
Organizer
RJ Khalaf
Organizer
New York, NY
