Al Fakhoora’s third batch of scholarships announced
The 300th scholarship has been assigned and the selected students are thrilled at the prospect of what the future now holds for them!
It’s been three years since its launch in 2009 and the undergraduate degrees are a major part of the flagship scholarship program, ‘Dynamic Futures’.
Five of the grants were awarded for international study in Italy and the UK in disciplines that are greatly needed in Gaza. Subjects include Poverty and Development Studies, Water Management, ICT in education, International Communication and Development and Cooperation.
“I hope to get the chance to pass on the knowledge I gain, and serve my country and the people back home,” said postgraduate students Laila Barhoum, who is in her first year at Sussex University, UK.
Mohammad Sari Sisalem is specializing in Water Management at the University of East Anglia, following an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Gaza.
“I feel the blessings of my family’s prayers. The scholarship has been a dream come true and I can eager to give something back when I return home,” he said.
‘Dynamic Futures’ is generously co-funded by the Islamic Development Bank and operates with the partnership of the UN’s ‘DEEP’ program, which provides grants for business initiatives for impoverished families. 55% of the Dynamic Futures scholarship recipients come from the families that ‘DEEP’ work with due to their financial restraints.
This two-pronged approach, which considers all aspects of a family’s struggle, from the resources, skills and abilities available to them, through to the further education of the younger members of the family, creates a sustainable cycle of independence both for the family, and injecting skills back into the market.
For the young people involved, this opportunity is a fantastic step towards achieving their potential and building a positive future, despite the difficulty surrounding them.
“As the number of students increases, we have created a systematized structure for the program to ensure it provides students with a unique educational experience and access to mentors, counselors and student guidance specialists,” said Programs Manager, Jennifer Dwyer.
Guidance and monitoring of the scholars is provided throughout their education, and ensures that each student receives the mentoring and support to maintain a certain grade point average.
“By supporting the Al Fakhoora scholars with programs in communication, advocacy and leadership skills, we hope to inject vitality that the blockade is attempting to strip away from the youth,” she continued.
Communication skills are given special focus, as the team at Al Fakhoora firmly believe that these skills will enable the scholars to build their own narratives of their experiences living under the blockade.
The skills of advocacy are also developed in the scholars as a priority, with partnerships at Birzeit University, Al Najah University and Palestinian human rights organization ‘Al Haq’ hopefully leading to a student-led advocacy program soon.
