Project Overview

Ruwwad, taken from the Arabic word for “pioneers”, is a ground-breaking program created by Palestinians for Palestinians. Its mission is to empower Palestinian youth and the adults who serve them, so that both groups can become strong local leaders and change-makers. Ruwwad provides youth with training, funding, and support to lead grassroots community service projects, and works with the Ministry of Youth to improve the government’s capacity to serve its young people.

Objectives

• Give young Palestinians the tools and skills they need to serve their communities.

• Help the Palestinian Ministry of Youth and Sport serve youth and train them for leadership positions.

Activities

Ruwwad works to empower Palestinian youth, communities, and the Ministry of Youth and Sport through several areas of activity:

Investing in the community
The project is awarding $500,000 in sub-grants to local grassroots Palestinian NGOs that deliver programs and services to local youth.

Providing youth with leadership training courses and paid internships
Over 100 young leaders get on-the-job experience in local NGOs, private sector companies, and public institutions—preparing them to become a new generation of Palestinian leaders.

Strengthening the Ministry of Youth
Ruwwad is building the capacity of 60 Ministry staff in a range of skill areas so that they can serve Palestine’s youth more effectively. The project is also helping the Ministry set up four Youth Development Resource Centers in the West Bank. This work supports the larger U.S.-Palestinian Partnership, an initiative that brings USAID and the U.S. private sector together with local organizations and businesses to help create new economic opportunities for Palestine and new leadership opportunities for youth.

Creating a network of youth resource centers and clubs
This project will open four main centers that offer IT training and media internships and deliver nearly 60 youth-led community aid projects. Ruwwad will link these sites to more than 65 local youth clubs across the West Bank, with the aim of serving close to 11,000 youth and 50,000 community members by 2010.

Partners

Ruwwad works closely with leading grassroots and international NGOs in the West Bank and Gaza--with a focus on organizations that specialize in youth programming and/or community assistance.

Implementing Organization
Education Development Center

Technical Partners
Palestinian Authority—Ministry of Youth and Sport
The Aspen Institute
The Case Foundation

Local Partners
Life and Hope Association
Johoud for Community and Rural Development
The Civic Forum Institute
Palestinian Livestock Cooperative Union
The Palestinian Council for Development, Dialogue, and Democracy
East Jerusalem YMCA

Project Documents

Fact Sheet – The Ruwwad Youth Empowerment Program
A general overview of the Ruwwad project’s mission, values, activities, and impact in local communities.

Fact Sheet – Ruwwad’s Support for the new Palestinian Youth Development Resource Centers
A closer look at Ruwwad’s work to help the Palestinian Ministry of Youth and Sport launch new service hubs for young Palestinians.

Youth Stories

Tariq's Story: From Introvert to National Youth Leader