BuildPalestine is pleased to announce the acceptance of 9 fellows for its Fellowship program.
The Fellowship program is a 6 months program that is designed for social enterprises committed to solving Palestine’s most pressing challenges. Our role is to connect fellows with the expertise, resources, and funds needed to maximize their impact.
The program offers upskilling through access to knowledge, advice, and support from experienced mentors specialized in supporting social enterprises. It also enrolls fellows in workshops and sessions to improve and develop their projects and understand how to measure their impact on society.
BuildPalestine’s Fellowship program provides the cohort of projects with an extensive network of resources. Through curated content and personalized introductions, BuildPalestine shares the cohort of projects with its community, offering valuable exposure and opportunities for growth.
The Fellowship program enables direct connections with impact investors, as well as opportunities for grant matching. Additionally, fellows have the ability to crowdfund from BuildPalestine’s global network of supporters, providing access to potential funding sources and increasing the reach of their projects.
After a rigorous selection process, on the following criteria: Impact, Social Innovation, Solution Maturity, and Personal Motivation.
The selected fellows are:
- Kareem Yahia from Kafr Qara is the Founder of VirtuaLand which creates immersive virtual tours of physical spaces using 3D technology, and is dedicated to preserving the Palestinian cultural & natural heritage.
- Besan Ouda from Gaza is the Project Manager of Tellers/الرواة which is a space for youth in Gaza to create content and tell their stories to the world.
- Mohammad Nejmeddin from Ramallah is the Founder of Seddeh, a Palestinian start-up that specializes in sustainable fashion, and aims to reduce waste
- Asmahan Illian from Jerusalem Governorate is the Founder and CEO of Talleh Cultural Center. Talleh specializes in beautifully-crafted gifts made from carved olive wood, basketry, pottery, loom weaving, embroidery, and other cultural handicrafts.
- Aballah Rayyan from Jerusalem Governorate is the Founder of Al-Reef Eco Farm. an environmental farm for the production of vegetables and fruits free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
- Manal Salem from Arab Al-Jahaleen is the Co-Founder of Rawajeeh AlSaan / رواجيح السعن. A start-up founded to promote Bedouin goods and products such as milk and its derivatives, promoting quality and availability of products year-round
- Yaqeen Yamani from Jericho the Co-Founder of Jericho Cinema Club. A space dedicated to enriching the cultural scene in Jericho and hosts weekly film screenings for kids, teenagers, and youth
- Tasneem Hamaad from Gaza a Marketing Consultant in Abacus, an app that enables children from ages 5 up to 15 to perform mental mathematics quickly and easily.
- Doaa Badran from Kabul is the Co-Founder of Orange Truck شاحنة برتقال, a cutting-edge digital platform that aims to raise awareness about Palestinian art and showcase its creativity to a global audience.
For more information, please visit https://buildpalestine.com/fellows/
“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional individuals to our fellowship program,” said Lama Amr, Executive Director. “With every cohort of fellows, our hope of building the Palestine we want to see is revived by the energy and passion we receive from the new fellows. We believe they have the talent, skills, and passion to make a significant impact in their fields and beyond. We look forward to supporting and mentoring them as they pursue their goals and dreams.”
The Fellowship program is held once a year and is open to people who believe in social impact and who are eager to solve Palestine’s many challenges. The application cycle for 2024 will open later in 2023.
BuildPalestine is a global community for social innovation in Palestine. Our mission is to empower Palestinian changemakers by mobilizing supporters around the world.