Why is Usama Malik running 250 km/156 miles through the Sahara Desert? To ensure the continued profound and positive impact of TYO on the communities it serves. The stories of just one entrepreneur and one volunteer reveal the broad ripple effect of TYO’s programs on individuals, their families, and the community at large.
Nehaya, Restaurant Owner
Nehaya explains her restaurant to Ambassador Verveer and TYO Nablus Center Director Humaira Wakili
Take one of our FWEN program participants, Nehaya, as an example. As a student at An-Najah University, she noticed that the students living far from their families craved home-cooked meals. She came up with a solution–establish a restaurant to offer traditional Palestinian “comfort food,” rather than unhealthy fast food. The restaurant could offer take-out for students and catering for large parties and events.
Nehaya enrolled in the FWEN program, where she developed the business and leadership skills necessary to start her restaurant. Her work with FWEN prepared her for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women project, a five-week Women’s Entrepreneurship Leadership certificate program at the American University in Cairo.
On March 26, 2011, Nehaya opened her restaurant and hired her mother and aunt as cooks. With her restaurant, Nehaya is bringing home-cooked meals to the students of An-Najah, business opportunities to the women in her family, and inspiration to women entrepreneurs throughout Nablus.
Nehad, Volunteer and Fall Core Child Program Teacher
Nehad with a Core Child Program student
Nehad’s story provides another great example of TYO’s impact on the lives of our program participants. She has been a volunteer with the Core Child Program for a year. Every day that TYO is in session, Nehad leaves her village, Koforqadon, at 7 am to make the hour-long commute to our Nablus center.
Her work with the students in the Core Child Program has brought children like Ghizal out of their shells. Moreover, Nehad reports that she herself has grown in confidence as a teacher and as an individual throughout her year with TYO. Because of her dedication to her students and eagerness to learn, Nehad has grown into a talented early childhood teacher while volunteering at TYO. TYO is excited to be bringing Nehad back to the Core Child Program as a teacher for the fall session.
All of TYO’s Core Child Program teachers, like Nehad, started working with TYO as volunteers. The Youth Service Learning program includes both trainings and opportunities to cultivate hands-on teaching and mentoring experience. As volunteers, TYO’s current core teachers cultivated a valuable set of teaching skills. Now, TYO’s students reap the benefits of having strong, confident, talented teachers.
Help sustain and expand TYO’s community impact by getting involved in the Racing the Planet for TYO campaign! From September 1-25, people across the globe will ADOPT, JOIN, and MOBILIZE the miles of Usama’s race. Right now, start planning how you’ll help us raise $25k in 25 days!
