YES alumni have one word in common: IMPACT. Whether it’s during their YES exchange year in the U.S or when they return home, YES alumni have their own way of leaving a permanent impact on the lives of people they serve. Hanan Abou Ali (YES 2008-2009, Lebanon, hosted by Ayusa in Green Bay, WI) has been impacting and empowering her community in Lebanon since her exchange year in the U.S. and is now our alumni spotlight of the month!

As a YES student, Hanan realized the importance of volunteering and giving back through her profound involvement with her YES community in the U.S. This passion for service ignited her desire to make positive changes in Lebanon. From introducing Lebanese youth to American sports to helping students with their English skills, Hanan aimed to diversify the changes she wanted to make in her community. One of these changes took place when Hanan volunteered on a relief project for Syrian refugees. Initially, she was in charge of registering incoming refugees. Shortly after, she helped with the distribution of food and clothing items that were donated towards the cause. 

“This project is probably the one that touched me to my core. Seeing what these individuals went through was heartbreaking.”-Hanan

When she returned to Lebanon, Hanan finished high school and graduated with honors. She attended Lebanese International University (LIU) where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Surveying Engineering. In 2016, she became a Fulbright scholar and is currently enrolled in the Master's GIS (Geographic Information Science) program at Idaho State University (ISU). 

“I am currently working on my thesis: "Remote Precision Agriculture for Enhancing and Aiding Potato Crops in Lebanon". I am hoping to present my final work to the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture to help introduce new affordable techniques that would help the Lebanese farmers produce their crops. I am also developing a web application that is compatible with smartphones. The application would give the farmer real-time data to help with decisions such as irrigation and targeting sick plants."-Hanan 

Hanan is currently the Vice President of the Pocatello Mosque and the Secretary of the Middle East Culture Association at ISU. Through these roles, she delivers presentations about Lebanon and Islam to help promote mutual understanding. She also facilitated an interfaith dialogue where participants from different religious backgrounds joined together to learn about Islam.

In the future, Hanan hopes to empower other girls to follow their dreams and to believe that gender is not a measurement for their success. With the help of the YES Alumni Lebanon family and Fulbright Alumni Lebanon, Hanan plans to teach English and basic computer skills to adults and to educate students about scholarship opportunities and other resources available to them. 

"With what is happening in today's world, it is our responsibility to help in any way possible. No matter how small your contribution may seem, it makes a huge impact to those in need. Being able to help others is very fulfilling."-Hanan 

Congratulations on all of your achievements, Hanan!