Karam Foundation

Karam Foundation is a nonprofit organization investing in the education and wellbeing of Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and the United States so they can build a better future for themselves and their communities. The Syrian conflict has resulted in the largest refugee and displacement crisis of our lifetime. More than six million people have been internally displaced within the country, while almost seven million have sought safety and refuge in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries that allowed their entry. The trauma of war coupled with the unimaginable loss of home, identity, community, and most importantly hope, squanders any potential of growth. This is especially devasta... read more Karam Foundation is a nonprofit organization investing in the education and wellbeing of Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and the United States so they can build a better future for themselves and their communities. The Syrian conflict has resulted in the largest refugee and displacement crisis of our lifetime. More than six million people have been internally displaced within the country, while almost seven million have sought safety and refuge in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries that allowed their entry. The trauma of war coupled with the unimaginable loss of home, identity, community, and most importantly hope, squanders any potential of growth. This is especially devastating for young Syrians who would be otherwise building their bright futures. Karam Foundation seeks to restore this sense of hope for Syrian mothers, fathers, and children, and we do so with authenticity, bravery, expertise, and generosity (or Karam, in Arabic). We at Karam know that handouts only go so far. Instead, our approach is rooted in sustainable efforts that are bound to have a long-term impact on Syrians and their host communities. Families are supported through monthly stipends, awareness sessions, job search, and local assimilation efforts on the contingency that their children are pulled out of child labor and allowed to return to school. Exemplary high school students are awarded university scholarships and asked to volunteer with their communities in return. Karam Houses-community hubs for Syrian refugees in Turkey-provide a safe space and outlet for creativity, innovation, connection, and turning ideas into reality. It is by giving everything to those who lost everything that we hope to guide 10,000 Syrians on their individual pathways to leadership, so that they can be proactive, hopeful, and give back to those around them.