On June 28, 16 YES alumni in the West Bank participated in a four-hour renovation project at the Shabab Al Balad Youth Center in Al-Dahryeh, a village located in southern Hebron. The youth center provides a space for young people with disabilities to socialize. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the center’s main hall was neglected, but as life gradually returns to normalcy, the center’s hall will soon host summer camps. To prepare for these events, the center’s main hall needed a thorough cleaning, roof repairs, and new coats of paint. The YES alumni decided to help when they heard about the center’s renovation plans. 

The alumni arrived in the morning to begin volunteering. The hall was full of broken equipment, sports gear, and toys, so the alumni re-organized the center’s storehouse. Marah Kharma shares, “I’m glad we helped this center so the staff can host more activities and events for people with disabilities.” The alumni then scraped old paint off the walls to re-paint them. To add a signature touch, the alumni added some colorful patterns to the arches. While some of the alumni painted the walls, others helped repair the roof.

The village locals joined the alumni in their volunteer work. Some helped the alumni and others played traditional music to keep their spirits up. At the end of the day, Iyad Jabareen, the center’s administrator, awarded the alumni with certificates of appreciation for their hard work. He also gave the alumni a brief tour of the village, which is full of traditional architecture. Afterwards, the alumni visited the market in the village and took pictures. Osama Ghnimat reflects, “We started this fun activity with passion and love, to give the community our efforts, and leave a footprint behind in our lifetime that will pay forward.”

Sara Alqobbaj (YES 2016–2017, West Bank, placed by PAX in Worthington, OH)

Marah Kharma (YES 2016–2017, West Bank, placed by PAX in Layton, UT)

Osama Ghnimat (YES 2018–2019, West Bank, placed by Ayusa in McMinnville, OR)

Dalia Hasan (YES 2019–2020, West Bank, placed by ACES in Lambert, MT)