 |
|
The 100 students who received a scholarship from Al Fakhoora this year |
The scholarship programme is co-funded by the Islamic Development Bank, and works in conjunction with the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP)’s Deep Initiative, which provides grants to impoverished families to establish their own businesses.
Al Fakhoora currently awards 55% of its scholarship funds to students from such families, covering their fees for the entire duration of their studies.
Al Fakhoora director Farooq Burney said: “We have established a unique formula whereby the family is no longer aid dependent, but able to generate its own income and create a healthy sustainable cycle.
“On the other hand, by supporting their son or daughter through college, we have to inject skilled labour back into the market.”
“However, the programme is also designed to provide much more than financial support,” Burney added.
Al Fakhoora programme manager Jennifer Dwyer said: “As the number of students increase, we have created a systemised structure for the programme to ensure it provides students with a unique educational experience and access to mentors, counsellors and student guidance specialists.”
“We are looking at the big picture,” she explained. “By supporting Al Fakhoora scholars with programmes in communication, advocacy and leadership skills, we hope to inject vitality that the (Israeli) blockade is attempting to strip away from the youth.”
Al Fakhoora is working with a number of organisations to help develop students’ communication abilities.
“Communication works for those who work at it and we feel by providing access to workshops in leadership, language, filmmaking and others, we will allow our students to develop their own narrative that emerges from their own environment,” programme manager Dwyer said.
The organisation is also working with institutions such as the Birzeit and Al Najah universities, and Al Haq, the Palestinian human rights organisation, to develop a student-led advocacy programme.
Five of this year’s scholarships were awarded to postgraduate students to study in Italy and Britain, with the aim of developing skills needed for the local market.
“We considered disciplines that were not offered by universities locally and most importantly in areas of expertise that were much needed in Gaza” said Burney.
The Fakhoora director explained that the areas of study include poverty and development studies, water management, ICT (information and communications technology) in education, international communication, and development and co-operation.
Laila Barhoum, an Al Fakhoora postgraduate student at the University of Sussex, Britain, said: “I hope to get the chance to pass the knowledge I’m gaining, and do my best to help and serve my country and the people back home.”
Mohammed Sari Sisalem, studying water management at the University of East Anglia, Britain, said: “I feel the blessings of my family’s prayers. The scholarship has been a dream come true and I am eager to go home and give back.”
