On August 28, 2024, ten YES and one ALEX alumni from across the West Bank gathered in Nablus to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the establishment of the Sanad Association. Sanad, which means "pillar" in Arabic, a term used to describe a supportive friend, was founded in 2013 by Om Waheed, the mother of a child with Down syndrome. She established the NGO because she couldn't find the help she needed to raise and teach her son the skills necessary to adapt to society in Nablus. 11 years later, Sanad has served over one thousand children with disabilities from Nablus and the surrounding areas.

The YES alumni arrived after the children had finished their therapy sessions. They brought many toys and painting tools, but more importantly, they brought their smiles, laughter, and warm hearts. They spent time with the children at the facility, creating a memorable day for them. Social interactions are a crucial tool used by behavioral experts to support children with mental disabilities and reduce their social anxiety. The alumni talked, played, danced, drew, and painted with the children for two hours.

Then, the alumni took a tour of the facility, where they learned about the different rooms, devices, and tools from behavioral experts. They played a memory game in the Assessment Room, which tracks and assesses the intellectual development of the children. The alumni also spent time with the coach of the gym room, who monitors the children’s physical and nutritional health. Some alumni attended individualized sessions with children, learning skills from experts on how to interact with disabled children.

At the end of the tour, Om Waheed, the founder of the association, spoke to the YES alumni, giving them a brief overview of the foundation's history and future goals. Later, the alumni gathered at a nearby pizza place, where they held a reflection session about the visit and discussed various aspects of behavioral and social medicine with the YES alumni medical students.

Osaid Hamidi ‘20 shared, "I'm very blessed to have had an opportunity to draw smiles on the children's faces and to learn more about the special needs of those children."

Osaid Hamidi (YES 2019-2020, West Bank, placed by CIEE in Allen, TX)