The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is Transforming Education. Our youth can and will change the course of humanity. We are responsible for equipping them with knowledge so they can forge their own path into the future.

This year, we supported the education of youth with disabilities in Jordan via our local partner, Orient Spirit. This center provides them with high-quality training that is catered to their personal interests and skills. The training allows the students to achieve independence and empowerment, and it helps them feel valuable to themselves and their communities. The students at Orient Spirit love the environment of kindness and understanding fostered by the teachers.

Abdullah, 17, is one of these students. He has Down syndrome and has never been enrolled in school as a result. With your support, Abdullah was able to hone his skills in carpentry, sewing, and mosaics. His hand-eye coordination and his communication skills have vastly improved. He says that he loves all the teachers and students, and his father says that Orient Spirit is the only place where his son feels happy.

Our youth are our legacy. Our future. Our hope. In just a few years, they will be the ones holding our hands to navigate us through these murky waters. Please, continue giving them the tools to excel by transforming their education.

Click here to make a donation in support of youth education initiatives. Please give generously, as we depend on your donations to continue transforming the lives of Palestinians.