"My only ambition in life is to be self-confident. I am working hard on my skills, particularly to enhance both my communication and marketing abilities. I used to decorate for people from different villages on different occasions and this experience encouraged me to start thinking of having green houses to plant different kinds of flowers."
- Ms. Halimeh Al Chaar, WEL Empower 20 participant
This year instead of a traditional Valentine's Day, GlobalGiving embraces the celebration of Global Generosity Day! That means, "in addition to (or instead of?) the heart-shaped box of chocolates and pricey romantic dinner, give the gift of a not-so-random act of kindness!" Make your Valentine a Lebanese woman in need by donating to TYO's Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon project! These lovely ladies don't need chocolates or plush teddy bears, but they do need your support as they strive to improve their communities with a leadership business endeavor.
Therefore, this month, TYO would like to highlight some of the most promising women entrepreneurs in our Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon project. Thanks to your fantastic support these women will prepare to advance into Phase 3 of the training program! Phase 3 includes additional trainings in Business English, IT, and an incubation period to cultivate smart, fiscally-sound financial strategies. Therefore, without further adieu, we are proud to introduce TYO's WEL TOP TEN ENTREPRENEURS...
"Since I was young, I have enjoyed preparing food. I have bought [cook]books in Arabic and French, about old and new recipes. In addition, my deep knowledge in hygiene and nutrition issues as well as participating in several trainings on food processing were the key factors in doing a catering project with special packaging in order to distribute the product to supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and related institutions."
- Ms. Howayda Sharaf al Dine, WEL Top 10 participant
These ten women are just a sample of the ambitious and exciting projects being supported by the Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon project. As you can see, these women are eager for success and relish every moment they are able to spend improving their skills and widening the path to greater economic security and community development with WEL. Thank you for your support! We look forward to charting their progress and cheering them on as they complete their training and sincerely hope you will continue to show your support at this crucial juncture on their paths to success!
For more details on the happenings in the TYO WEL project, be sure to take a peek at the TYO Blog where we chronicle the women’s journeys!
Links:
-MORE TIME TO LEARN!
We have extended morning classroom time for young learners in our Core Program, offering an additional thirty minutes of valuable exploration in the art, sports, story-telling and imagination rooms. This is a fantastic addition for children who have no toys at home and look to their mornings at TYO for educational recreation each week. Needless to say, they were thrilled!!
-WARM WINTER WEAR!
Each child at the Nablus center received a bag FULL of warm winter clothes during the holiday season. Over 360 children, ages 4-14, picked up these prized parcels containing sweaters, shoes, long underwear, socks, hats, and scarves among other wonderful winter items to get them through the cold months in mostly unheated housing in the refugee camps. Three cheers for fingers, toes, and a toasty, warm nose!
-NEW LOCAL VOLUNTEERS!
TYO also greeted new and returning volunteers, recent graduates and students from An-Najah University. These volunteers have ambitiously signed up to give back to their communities and by providing funds for the resources they use in the classroom (snacks for the students, sports equipment, transportation for TYO field trips), your contribution helps to magnify the impact of their commitment.
-NEW INTERNATIONAL INTERNS!
Thanks to your generous backing and TYO’s Public Diplomacy Partnership with the US Consulate in Jerusalem, our four new interns—Nawal, Laura, Claudia, and Anna—have also arrived in Nablus for the spring term! Daily, our interns work side by side with our Palestinian volunteers, bridging the cultural gap and serving the community of Nablus and surrounding camps. As they unpack bags and preconceptions about life in the West Bank, the girls offer a bird’s eye view of their first few weeks on the ground:
“Walking through the Old City, I see kids playing amongst abandoned cars and in vacant lots, where factories or houses once stood. In place of a ball or toys, a dirt pile and a couple of sticks are used for entertainment. This is their playground. It is a long road ahead, but I know that my time here will be worth every minute and truly make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
- Nawal, University of Pennsylvania
“In the US, a great deal of significance is place on the ability to shelter young children from anything deemed too scary, overwhelming, or serious. I think we all hope to protect children from the harsh realities of the world, but here, shared history binds the community together and fulfills a real need for healing.”
–Laura, University of Chicago
“In touring the Old City in Nablus, we came across many martyr photographs and plaques erected in memory of those lost to violence. I learned that the Arabic word for “martyr” does not have the same simplistic meaning as what we use for its English counterpart. Martyr in Arabic also means “witness.” I now understand that the people in these pictures were not necessarily aggressors, but instead victims of violence and cultural misunderstandings.”
-Claudia, Georgetown University
“On the first day of classes, we went to greet the teary four-to-eight year olds from the Core Program – an experience that taught me that my Arabic is not comprehensible to little kids and, in fact, just makes them cry harder. By the end of the day, though, their trepidation had dissolved as they stomped and shouted “Ihna shabaab al-Filusteen!” [“We are the youth of Palestine!”]. I can only imagine the transformations that are yet to come, for them and for me. The door is open; I’m just waiting to see what will transpire inside.”
–Anna, Middlebury College
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Holiday greetings,
Thank you so very much for supporting TYO's education programs in the West Bank. In the past month, your giving has been truly amazing! In fact, we are just $664 away from our annual target and with your help we will certainly reach it before December 31.
Stumped on what to buy that last friend or family member? Here are two ways to avoid the holiday rush and get our project closer to its goal:
Donate to $25 or more to our project and receive limited edition POSTCARDS featuring the photos from our young Palestinian photographers in Nablus. You can also receive a set of NOTE CARDS with watercolor scenes of Jerusalem for a $50 donation to our Women's Entrepreneurship program in Lebanon.
Or give a gift that keeps on giving this year: donate in honor of friends, loved ones, colleagues and send a custom GlobalGiving/TYO tribute card by email or post. Its the third giving option on our project page.
It has been a busy month in Nablus as well. The fall 2011 semester has come to a close most successfully! With your support, children particpated in Drama, Music, Sport, and Art classes taught by our fantastic interns James, Andrew, Abi, and Aimee at the TYO Center.
Have you seen the TYO blog lately? Don't forget to check out some of the highlights from this semester:
Thank you again for your continued support of TYO. Every single dollar is greatly appreciated and makes a difference in the lives of the communities we work with.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2012!
--The entire TYO Team in Nablus, Beirut, and DC
