This week, TYO dives into the methodology behind play, better ways to read, improvements in poverty and maternal health, and disturbing child abuse allegations in homes for the mentally and behaviorally challenged.

No play? NO WAY! A disturbing trend has taken hold in schools around America. As they race to comply with improved math and reading scores thanks to initiatives like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, many are finding ways to cut back on seemingly superfluous activities during the school day. One of the first activities to go? RECESS, of course! Education Week cautions against the hasty excise made by 30% of U.S. schools (as of 2009) and 40% who significantly reduced recreation time citing the myriad benefits to improved test scores for children who are granted time to relax and recharge.

Play on. Following the close of a fifteen year longitudinal study published in Family Science and recent updates in Psychology Today, researchers reveal the mechanisms behind learning through PLAY. Examining 229 low-income children in the U.S. Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, parent-toddler interactions in imaginative play at age 2 were examined against child outcomes at age 3 and in the fifth grade. Discoveries include increases in language usage, self-regulation, social skills, and cognitive flexibility. So what can parents and teachers do to support this essential development process? Talk! Read! And, most importantly, PLAY! with your children.

Raising the Bar on Reading. New findings reveal that how you read may have as great an impact as what you READ to small children. Studying a group of over 500 four-year-olds, comparative research demonstrated that groups who focused on the text itself—tracing letters as they read or talking about the material and discussing the concepts of words—created more conducive absorption and learning environments for children than those who adhered to the classic style of reading the text alone.

No Place Like Home. Many have lauded relatively high numbers of children’s HOMES for the mentally and behaviorally challenged in Jordan, however alarming exposés and interviews of parents and caretakers involved in the system have unveiled a web of systematic abuses brought on by primary caretakers and hospice administration. Further disturbing still, despite regulations on the books to curb such abuse and maltreatment that parents pay upwards of 1,000 Jordanian dinars ($1,400) per month for, the BBC investigates scandals that persist in a system where the qualifications to receive a license “are only about the building—such as the height of rooms and the size of the water tank.”

When DECLINING never felt so UPLIFTING! Great news for children in developing countries around the world! The pace of declining poverty has been accelerating, and for the first time, according to a recent USAID Impact report showing the results of a World Bank survey, between 2005 and 2008 the absolute number of people living in extreme POVERTY declined in all major developing regions! And if that wasn’t enough, the NY Times reports discoveries by the UN and the University of Washington in an independent study sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation demonstrating the notable DECLINE of maternal deaths, particularly in childbirth, over the last two decades. Healthy moms make for healthy babies and a healthier child population overall!

Thanks to my family, friends, and TYO for their love and support. Honored to have had the privilege to engage with my inspirational community to reach our goal for TYO. Sorry to have broken my commitment. Recovery and redemption ahead. I will announce my redemption song in the coming days, and provide more context and reflections to end this particular chapter.

-Usama Malik

On Tuesday, three-quarters into stage three of the Racing the Planet – Jordan 2012 race Usama Malik was forced to withdraw due to a pre-existing ITB injury that worsened over the first couple of days of the race. He is now in the company of family and friends, resting up and  recovering for the celebratory fundraising event in Amman this Sunday, that is to continue supporting the 50k in 50 Days campaign. TYO applauds Usama’s strong-will and heroism in meeting such a colossal challenge head-on, all the while maintaining focus and determination to very last painful moment. Over the two 4 Deserts races Usama has participated in he has helped raise over 80k for TYO and inspired countless people to make life less about themselves and more about the betterment of the global community. Sounds like a victory to us! Mabrouk, Usama – We Heart U!

Stay tuned for an in-depth post-race reflection from Usama that will detail the last moments before he pulled from the race, his honest feelings about the journey, plans for recovery, and next steps for continued support of TYO. Until then, enjoy the slideshow below of supporters around the world who purchased specially designed I Heart U shirts (whose complete proceeds went to the 50k in 50 days fundraising campaign) to show their solidarity with Usama and commitment to TYO. A warm thank you to all who made contributions to 50k in 50 days. Our children at TYO will be better off with the healthy snacks your generosity will help us provide for them.

Mom and Dad Heart U!

The Karamat family Hearts U!

Baby Aaron Hearts U!

The Rafiq family Hearts U!

Siddiqui twins Heart U!

The Malik-Phillips-Siddiqui cousins Heart U!

Baby Mary Hearts U!

Tignor cousins Heart U!

Tignor babies support TYO!

TYO Hearts U!

Andrew Cope

Be prepared to work hard, to come under emotional strain, and for the goodbyes at the end to be excruciating. Yet it’ll be entirely worth it, because this in on-the-ground change that no one can argue with.

A London, UK native, Andrew taught Music, Women’s IT, Community English and Staff English as an intern in the Fall of 2011.

What was your favorite moment/story from your time with TYO?

Color Games! Having all the kids outside chanting in their teams and waving their flags, learning to work together and encourage each other in order to accomplish the different sports activities. The excitement was really tangible.

What do you miss most about TYO or Nablus?

The kids, most definitely. I’ve kept some of their pictures and my old registration lists so I can remember their names, though of course it’s not the same.

What have you been up to after leaving Nablus and what are your plans for the future?

Recently I began working as Campaigns Officer for the SPEAK Network, a mainly UK-based group committed to campaigning for global justice through spirituality and the arts. When my contract ends, I expect to take up an offer to teach in an inner-city elementary school with Teach First (the UK equivalent of Teach for America) beginning in 2013. Understandably, my session at TYO was central to prompting me to apply for the Teach First program, as it reminded me how valuable and world-changing it is to invest in our children’s education.

How do you think TYO affected you personally and professionally?

Naturally it gave me first-hand experience of how people in the West Bank have to live on a day-to-day basis, and frequently their astonishingly resilient temperament despite their struggle under occupation. On the professional side, I’d say that TYO stretched me and worked me hard (which is what i wanted!), by challenging me to maintain high standards in execution whilst under pressure.

According to research conducted by Dr. Imad Ishtayyeh, of Al-Quds Open University,  there are many issues that restrict the employment of recent Palestinian graduates every year. One obstacle is the lack of balance in the number of graduates from each department. For example, there is a high number of graduates from the economic department and less who study architecture or education. Secondly, the most commonly vacant jobs aren’t just looking for a graduate with a degree. Often, many jobs require that applicants have more skills and experience like communication skills, English language, interpersonal skills, leadership and IT.

A third issue is that most of the graduates hold degrees, but the degrees do not match the needs of the labor market. For example, recently graduated pharmacy students face major challenges when it comes to finding jobs. First, they often lack the financial resources to start their own pharmaceutical stores. And second, there isn’t a need for hundreds of pharmacies in the cities – often, several large, dependable stores is all that is needed. Additionally, young professionals are often seen as a burden in the labor force. Companies either lack the financial resources to train a fleet of recent graduates, or they don’t want to invest in young people when the other applicants have enough experience that wouldn’t require any training. Another challenge the recently graduated face, is the lack of professional competency skills. They lack the basics like conducting a job search, interview skills, writing a reflective CV, work ethics and an understanding of the Palestinian labor laws.

Through TYO’s Youth Service Learning (YSL) Program, we aim to recruit university graduates to be volunteers at TYO, to provide them with practical skills and to increase their capacity building with regard to life skills and English language skills. By investing in youth, TYO helps prepare the next generation of leaders in Palestine with the skills necessary to thrive and succeed in the workforce.

-Ahmad

Ahmad is the Volunteer Coordinator. 

It is my hope that I inspired these young bright minds to search deeply within their family history in order to learn more about their identity.  Although it was difficult at first to get the children to gather stories and to become immersed in their history, I noticed something wonderful.  As soon as I shared stories of my grandfather, they listened. As soon as I shared pictures of my family, they sat still and watched.  It was truly wonderful.  Although I wish I learned this earlier on in the class, I now know the power of personalizing a lesson for your students to pay attention (it’s somehow very interesting to learn about a teacher’s family!).

Another part of my internship consisted of my time at Al Najah National University.  The last day of class we all went out to coffee, and that meeting was a true reflection of our time together.  One of the students recalled her most recent interview and told me that the time she spent on mock interviews in the class really helped.  It gave me a sense of satisfaction and hope that such professional development courses are truly beneficial to a student’s future.   We also had a more informal talk about our future goals and it was nothing short of inspirational to listen to the diverse array of interests.  The course at Al Najah left me truly wanting to institutionalize such professional development courses in universities.

Finally, I truly feel that I got to know Nablus inasmuch as I can in one month.  It’s a remarkable city that really has its own rich, deep culture.  Getting lost in the souk, hearing people’s stories – whether they be my students, the local staff at TYO, or the taxi drivers – really grounded me in a place that I know I want to return. I thank TYO and the amazing international and local staff for this opportunity.

-Asma

Asma is an intern at TYO Nablus

TYO Lebanon Program Manager, Nadine Okla, speaks at the AUB CSR conference

“The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) at the American University of Beirut is proud to announce the first CSR Practitioner’s Conference at AUB on May 4 & 5, 2012. The conference is intended as a platform for regional business leaders to address the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by the ascendancy of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Through the gathering of renowned speakers, panels and interactive discussion forums, the conference will offer a regional platform for practitioners to network and exchange best practices in relation to effective sustainability and CSR management.”

Ms. Nadine Okla, Tomorrow’s Youth Organization Lebanon (TYO-L) Program Manager, was invited to present on the panel entitled Social Enterprise and Responsible Business Model. After a short 10-minute presentation on the work of TYO-Lebanon and specifically the role of corporate partners in the WEL project, the floor was opened to the audience of approx.150 people for an hour-long Q&A session.  Questions focused on the challenges Civil Society in Lebanon faces with regard to funding and other resource opportunities in the private sector, with an eye toward sustainability.

Nadine participated on the panel with Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon (WEL) Steering Committee Member, Mr. Kamal Mouzawak of Souk el Tayeb, as well as Ms. Sarah Beydoun , founder of Sarah’s Bags, Mr. Ziad Abi Chaker, founder of Cedar Environmental, Ms. Benedicte de Blavnus, founder of 2B Design, and Mr. David Haskell, founder of Dreams Indeed.

TYO-L and TYO were honored to be among the notable international and regional speakers that all offered insight into ways to improve the cooperation between civil society and the private sector.

Learn more about panelists, participants and the conference agenda on the AUB blog.

In case you weren’t around this week, TYO salutes pioneers and alums, prepares for the return of the Core Program kids, and gets geared up for the last 48 hours of the $50K in 50 Days race!

Sunday, May 5

TYO salutes PIONEER Nell Derick Debevoise! Nell, we miss you!

Monday, May 6

The familiar pitter patter in the halls has RETURNED with the AM and PM Core Program participants!

Tuesday, May 7

Asma gives us a glance at her oral history class–frisbees, MAPS, and everything in between!

Wednesday, May 8

What makes TYO so unique? VOLUNTEERS give their thoughts!

Thursday, May 9

TYO visits alum MEGAN Van Woezik for life updates since her time with TYO in Nablus!

Friday, May 10

Less than 72 hours to go and Usama shares his interlocking passions for MUSIC and long-distance running with a glimpse into his pre-race preparations.

Friday, May 10

With Mother’s Day ahead, TYO looks at pressing issues facing MOMS around the world in child marriage, domestic violence, mobile phone use, and the birth control debate, among others.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, TYO looks at pressing issues facing Mommies around the world in child marriage, domestic violence, mobile phone use, and the birth control debate, among others.

Mothers Moving Forward. Breaking news from the Chicago Tribune just in time for Mother’s Day—Afghanistan is no longer ranked as the world’s WORST PLACE to be a mother! The causes of this triumphant step forward for the country? According to Save the Children, better healthcare and more girls attending school. Today, the number of births attended by professionals rose 10% from 2003 to 2008 while girls in formal education has skyrocketed from zero to 2.5 million. Yet despite this good news, the struggle continues as 60% of children are affected by stunting and 275 children die every day because of malnutrition and illness.

Born to Wed? Wall Street Journal speaks with law professor Michele Goodwin on child MARRIAGE and the implications to human rights violations in India where the practice remains common despite legislation forbidding it. Though the legal age for women to marry in India is 18, “according to a major recent survey by the Ministry of Health… 43% of the married women in the age group of 20-24 had been child brides.” But girls are not alone! “Ms. Goodwin suggests that the pressure for early marriage from the groom’s side could come from mothers-in-law who want free domestic labor.” Boy or girl, if a child is still legally a child, does marriage count as human trafficking? And how much should courts be called upon to do something about it when the law simply isn’t enough?

Broadening the Debate. As debate over birth control rages in the U.S., Melinda Gates gives a Ted Talk on one of the most controversial issues  today. “We’re not talking about abortion. We’re not talking about population control. What I’m talking about is giving women the power to save their lives, save their children’s lives, and to give their families the best possible future.” Drawing on examples from around the developing and underdeveloped world, including contraception rates in Uttar Pradesh (one of the largest states in India which, if a country, would be the fifth largest in the world)at 29% and Nigeria (the most populous country in Africa) at 10%, Gates addresses the need for world governments to recognize the role of contraception and more importantly, a woman’s right to control her rate of reproduction, as vital issues affecting social change around the world.

Mother’s Day Every Day! It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, but the Huffington Post speaks up about the MOTHERS DAY EVERY DAY initiative launched by White Ribbon Alliance and CARE to raise awareness and call for greater U.S. leadership to save lives of mothers and babies globally. Mother and politician, Congresswoman Barbara Lee recalls her visit to Uganda to view the impact of anti-HIV/AIDS campaigns in the country. Among her discoveries: the fact that 70% of the world’s poor living on less than a dollar a day are women, and educating girls for five years could boost child survival by up to 40%! Inspired, she writes about how the experience “was a valuable reminder of the power of a mother.”

Suffering in Silence. UNRWA reports on the alarming rate of reported DOMESTIC VIOLENCE by women in the Gaza Strip. As many as 15% report physical abuse with an overwhelming 75% reporting psychological abuse; however statistics encompass only as many women who are willing to speak up, therefore unreported cases likely exceed these numbers. To counter numbers both reported and unreported, UNRWA has teamed up with the Women’s Affairs Centre (WAC) to continue a 2008 initiative aimed at spreading awareness, providing security, and empowering women endangered by domestic violence in Gaza.

Mobile Mommies. Perhaps phones aren’t all about the gift of gab? Well, a new study is defying challenging existing stereotypes by linking women’s cell phone use with better business practices in the developing world. The Council on Foreign Relations opens up about overcoming business barriers with value added MOBILE services with guest poster Henriette Kolb from the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. The study, which looked at women in Egypt, Nigeria, and Indonesia, concluded that: “In the exciting but fast-paced mobile industry, we must strategically focus resources on the realities that millions of women around the world encounter on a daily basis and work to develop practical solutions in order to maximize impact and positive change.”

There’s an interesting debate taking place in some corners of academia these days that is trying to either prove or refute the genetic basis of art, music, aesthetic and the like.  One school finds expression through music and art as an extention of our genetic basis for language, or a social evolution.  The other finds deep biological linkages and evolutionary reasons for music and art.  They both have plausible arguments today, but nascent ones as well, it’s a new school and the foundational knowledge is still being accumulated.  Regardless, whatever school you fall into, and whatever your individual preferences for each may be, for me music is the closest thing to spiritual and metaphysical that I have experienced, and to the extent that entire moments, even hours have flashed by with nothing but a vague taste of ecstacy remaining on the proverbial soul, the only fleeting evidence.

It’s almost 24 hours before my flight to Amman and less than 72 hours before the race begins.  I am less anxious than last time, although I never really quite get that anxious till right before an event.  My bags are pseudo packed, I am procrastinating as I normally do, I will most likely rush to complete everything the hour before I leave tommorrow.  I know this, and yet I will do nothing about it.  It’s the same way I swore that I would not slumber to the last minute to sort out my gear, my bagpack, my food and other sundry items this time like I did in September 2011.  And yet, it was only this past weekend that I got my house in order, and even then I am not sure if I have everything.  The panic checks will be occuring sometime within the next 24 hours.  Right now I am busy salad-loading, and thinking about what music I should have on my iPod – last time my iPod lasted for two days and my solar charger refused to cooperate, so the last four of the six marathons were run only to the rhythm of my stomping feet and exhausted, sometimes exacerbated pants.  Last night I downloaded a whole bunch of old Jay Z from the 90′s, I have to think about a variety and I need some novelty, I’ve been listening to the same shuffle of 300+ songs that my sisters’ put on a Nano for me eight months ago.  Everytime I’m shuffling …

A friend of mine, the only person I know running this race with me, an ex-colleague reunited at my current job, landed in Amman today – with all of his luggage missing, lost by the airline.  All of his luggage including 6 days of supplies for the race – shoes, sleeping bag, food, first aid, etc.  He’s scrambling to pull all his stuff together again, I will do a run to buy several things for him tomorrow.  But that’s definitely anxiety-inducing, especially given my schedule, i.e. I land less than 20 hours prior to leaving for the desert.  I will attemp to carry everything onboard, but in the absence of that I will be ladden with unnecessary stress till I land with all my luggage in hand.  And shortly after that, the real pre-race anxiety should kick in.  So maybe it’s a good thing that I am spending my time on iTunes and not packing or weighing my bags.  My bagpack should be around 20 lbs, maybe I’ll get around to weighing it tomorrow.

Music and long-distance running have provided me with both ethereal experiences and painful ones too.  It’s a powerfully magnetic relationship at times, and an entirely tenuous one at others.  My normal running pace now ranges between 7.10 – 7.30 minute miles, closer to 8.30 – 8.45 with a 20 lbs bagpack on normal terrain.  About a month ago, on a 50 degree spring weekend morning, I ran my normal route, with the usual familiarity of the landmarks and the nooks and crannies and the dark spot where a dead racoon lay for a month.  I had my music with me today (which I carry about 25-30% of the time), and at mile two, listening to the soundtrack of an Indian movie, I ran through the doors of a worm hole … swooosh … and 12 minutes and two miles later, I popped out on the other side as if flung by a catapult, wondering where I was and what had just happened.  I had hit some stride, some runner’s high presumably, and with 20 lbs on my back, I had paced at 6 minute miles for a couple of miles and then entered back into reality in slow motion, feeling an enormous kinship, affection and connection to everything around me.  Less than a handful of times I had experienced that “high” in 28 months of running, 12 of which have been consumed by very long distances. Another time, not so long ago, earlier this year, also on a weekend run, this time in the afternoon in much colder tempratures in the late winter months, I was returning back from a 16 mile run, and at around mile 13, a song, some song came on that transitioned me into that fuzzy, flickering, television world, and this time I started to weep, and I cried with giant-sized tears, a cry that came from deep within and felt so good, so real, and so cleansing that the world was reborn and everything around me was pure, essential, and optimistic – there wasn’t an ounce of cynicism or loathing, evil had been eradicated.  It was a cry not of pain or sorrow, but a cry of hope, of universal truths, of beauty, and of freedom.  It lasted about the same duration, over the course of a couple of miles, and when I came out the other side, the earth embraced me and we rejoiced life together.

The flip side is of the more average day of running with music, where those aforementioned highs normally don’t occur, but music serves the purpose of keeping the mind engaged, adding another dimension to the physicality of the movement and the monotony of the common observation – large white colonial house coming up on the right, beautiful water view over that bridge, long solitary mile just yonder- as you’re running along, first focusing on stabalizing your breathing and heart rate, then finding a good stride and pace to normalize to, and then letting the mind wander for the next hour and a half.  The mind can be consumed either by one or two a priori thoughts that you brought along with you that you mull over in one way and then another, you turn them on and then off, you go deep and you carress them on the surface, but ultimately you don’t really do anything with them, they are distractions at best, but distractions that somehow, someway at some point during the run or days after it, provide a moment of eureka-like clarity on the subject(s); or the mind can be consumed by randomness, thoughts triggered by live observations, random flashes of history that play before your eyes, counting trees or spotting Audi S5′s, or sneaking peaks inside slow moving cars and creating fiction out of the non-fiction.  Other times the mind is numb, turned off, the body is struggling, the only focus is to get over the finish line, and all the energy that one summons goes to serve that only purpose.  And during all of the cacophony of ideas and numbness and pain, there’s the beat of a drum, the drums in your ears.  And because music is consuming and possessive, and because it can disengage your prefrontal cortex and shift all the power solely to the limbic system, inevitably you hit these after-moments when you are entirely exhausted, out of breath, tired and in pain, because without knowing it you’ve been running at an obscene pace for miles, pacing to the music and not to the distance, and there’s still 10 miles or 15 miles ahead of you – oh how am I going to make it back home?

And in spite of these average moments, the predictible manner in which music destroys my pace and breaks my body to pieces in the final stretches, I want to carry it with me.  In the lone and solitary environment, in the middle of a desert, hundreds of miles away from civilization, with no sense of location, and an enormous sense of the infinitesimality of the self, with momentous or monotonous views ahead and to the sides, and stretches of pain and exhaustion, or moments of euphoria or hysteria, the only familiar remnants of a prior life are the words and chants and notes flowing directly from a tiny device into your ears – sometimes providing comfort, other times distracting from the difficulty at hand, and yet at other times fusing one’s existence into the broader universe through laughter or boundless tears.  I think it’s worth it, I don’t have it on all the time, mostly towards the final 5-10 mile stretch when things start to fall apart.

I have trained better this time I think, but my body is more tired than the last time.  It’s been a year of pretty exhausting training that has started to take some affect on the mind and the body.  I am looking forward to crossing the finish line and having a few months of “normalcy” whatever that means – I was talking to my sister about a post-race depression period which she compared to postpartum, regardless I will have lots to sort out, with my free time, and with the next thing that consumes me.  Although I think I am signed up to run a marathon on my birthday in Montreal, a birthday present from a friend, these old legs gotta keep working.  My right knee started to feel awkward about six weeks ago and since has deteriorated and degenerated.  My left knee followed suit but is in less bad shape.  I will have to run with a brace or a pair of them, it’s nearly impossible to run without one on my right knee at this point, the pain is pretty severe.  But I have to make do, I have to run smart, I have to drug smart, and I have to brace smart.  And post-race medicated massages should help.  Food rations should be good I think, but you just never know what your body is going to demand in these conditions – I am excited about eating my M&M pretzels everyday, my treat to myself.  Still debating on weather to take the air mattress, it’s an extra pound and a lot of space.  I am 70-30% in favor of leaving it behind right now.  Final decision to come whenever I pack.

That’s it folks.  It’s been another incredible period of connecting with family, friends and my global community.  The love, the care, the affection, and the support has been inspiring.  We have raised $47K of our $50K goal, and I have no doubt we’ll surpass the goal.  In total, between the two races, between October 2011 and May 2012, we would have collectively raised ~$80K for TYO!  That’s pretty special, a great accomplishment for all of us, and a wonderful opportunity for the TYO leaders to expand their programs, empower and engage more women, and educate the leaders of tomorrow.  And a special thanks to my sisters who have not only been my great caretakers, but have also embarked on an adventure of their own, inspired by our collective efforts for TYO, in the form of i-heart-u.org.  This is the beginning of a vision that I hope they will pursue to contribute their great talents to the world in the coming years and decades.  If you have a moment, send me notice from the real world, let me know how you are doing, and give me something to think about, to hang on to, while we’re in the middle of our desert journey.  And then, I will see you on the other side … playing non-zero sum games.

-Usama
Usama Malik is a committed and longtime supporter of Tomorrow’s Youth Organization

Megan Van Woezik

I’m spreading the word because I really believe in the work TYO does. I think it’s also likely that the TYO community helped me even more than I helped them.

A Douglas, Ontario, Canada native, Megan taught Arts and Crafts, Women’s Nutrition, Community English, English in Salfeet and a seminar on social media at An-Najah University as an intern in the Summer of 2011.

What was your favorite moment/story from your time with TYO?

One of my last Arts and Crafts class projects was teaching the kids how to plant seeds and care for a plant. The children decorated their flower pots, made from the bottoms of large plastic soda bottles, and we filled them with soil and seeds and I showed them how to water them properly. They took them home to care for on their own and a week later when I asked the class if they had started to see anything grow from their pots, all of their hands shot up in the air. It was great to see one of our projects go beyond the classroom and to know that they were really trying to care for their plants.

What do you miss most about TYO or Nablus?

I miss my fellow interns and the unique experiences we had as a group. We were all so different but we now share a bond that no one else really understands. Since leaving Nablus I’ve had the chance to meet up with my fellow intern Cate Harding in Tanzania. It was so great to reminisce about our time Nablus together and we’d love to plan a reunion with our whole group in the future.

What have you been up to after leaving Nablus and what are your plans for the future?

I am the Volunteer Coordinator at the Rift Valley Children’s Village near Oldeani, Manyara, Tanzania (October 2011 – TBA).

How do you think TYO affected you personally and professionally?

My time at TYO provided me with an understanding of what is going on in Palestine that I never would have had by only following the news. I will forever feel attached to Nablus and the people I met there. Professionally, I learned much better time management skills and rediscovered how much I love working with children. This internship helped to prepare me for my current job and I couldn’t be more grateful for that experience.