Meet Mohamad. He’s 15 years old and the eldest his four brothers and sisters. His father passed away from a heart attack three months ago, leaving the family with nothing. Mohamad was attending our Youth Center in the camp regularly, but then he suddenly stopped showing up. We went to find him and found out that he had to start working in the tomato fields after school to support his family after his father died. We’ve been asking ourselves - how can we help Mohamad without putting him and his family at risk? Ala’a, one of the Youth Center mentors, suggested setting up a shop beside their home. This way, the older sons and mom can sell items safely and close to home. “We wanted to protect Mohamad and the other boys," said Ala'a. "They will lose everything if they don’t have help. And we don’t want them to work so far from home where they will face potential abuse and exploitation." “This idea will greatly protect Mohamad and his brothers from child labor," said … [Read more...] about Meet Mohamad

Afaf Alsalem is a single mom with five kids. She lost her husband in Syria, and has been trying to support her family on her own ever since. Jobs are difficult to come by in refugee camps, and it can be even more difficult for women to work outside of the home, especially when there are small children. She was working as a cleaner for a while, but the work was unpredictable and filled with worry. “When I work as a cleaning lady," she said, "I have to leave my children alone. I feel like I’m always ready for the worst. I get stressed out when I’m not with them." Afaf was the perfect candidate to open her own little shop in front of her caravan - she just needed the start-up capital. So we got to work getting Afaf’s shop all set up. “This is a great transformation in my life to have a shop nearly inside my own house!" she said. "I don’t have to leave my kids anymore.” … [Read more...] about The Mom-preneur

Meet Zaher and Mohamad. They’re parents, dedicated volunteers, and students at a local university just outside of the Zaatari Refugee Camp. Before the war started, they were students in Syria heading towards a bright future. But this all changed when they became refugees in Jordan. Zaher and Mohamad are among the lucky ones who’ve been able to continue university as refugee - the vast majority of Syrians will never be able to return to higher education. But they were missing one simple, but critical tool that every college student needs - a laptop. We saw an opportunity to make an easy investment in both their educations and futures. “This will make studying and succeeding in school so much easier," said Zaher. "These days not having a laptop is like not having a pencil. Having the ability to write, research, and save my files in one place makes my heart jump!” … [Read more...] about A Tool for Success

Nadine left her hometown of Dera’a, Syria with her husband Mohanad in 2013. The day they left was the hardest of their lives. "I arrived bringing only my soul and my childhood memories," Nadine said describing her first moments arriving in the Za'atari Refugee Camp. "When I first saw the tents, I felt like my life had stopped." That was nearly five years ago. Today, Nadine and her husband are on our core team of visionary leaders at our Youth Center in Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. Nadine is a true Changemaker, and, in turn, we wanted to help her and Mohanad out with a basic, but important need. Most of the caravans in the camp aren’t equipped with electricity. This means they don’t have any light after dark, can’t plug in a fan to cool down in the hot summers, or keep food and drink fresh. "I always thought of electricity as a basic need," said Nadine, "but we don’t have it in the camp because it’s expensive and difficult to connect.” But we had an idea! Solar … [Read more...] about Solar Powered

We're back in Za'atari Camp in Jordan for the next few days with our team of Syrian Changemakers! The guys and girls who lead the Youth Center in Za'atari are used to serving other people – but they typically do so through their roles as teachers, coaches, and managers. It doesn't always look like making an impact for one person. "There is a difference between seeing your impact as a Changemaker in a communal versus an individual way," said Georgie Nink of our partner Questscope. So when we asked for the team's ideas for change - big or small - they were so excited to dig in and make a difference. Mohamed and Ahmed are young artists who don't have the resources to purchase their own art supplies. The team saw their chance to make a big difference in their lives - with a set of art and calligraphy supplies! Having a creative outlet is important for everyone, but especially in the harsh environment of a refugee camp. Now Mohamed and Ahmed can continue their healing … [Read more...] about Creative Expressions