School students enjoy activities and games with our YES West Bank, 2011-2012 alumni Mahmoud Masri,  Karim Risheh, Rahaf Roubi, and Omar Daqah.

On September 20, 2014, YES alumni joined ten alumni from the U.S. - Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and 20 volunteers from Ramallah’s Youth Club to celebrate the new school year with a “Back to School” activity held at the Arab Evangelical Episcopal School in the city of Ramallah. The aim was to support students in Gaza who were displaced from their homes during the last war; the alumni hosted a bake sale and collected donations to buy school bags full of stationary and other school materials.

The “Back to School” event included a number of outdoor activities and games that targeted students from first through sixth grade. It also included an interactive educational play performance at the school hall. Additionally, letters of support were addressed to students in Gaza and placed in each school bag so that once received, they could read inspiring words of support and encouragement.

It is worth mentioning that when approached by the alumni about the possibility of hosting this event at their school, students at the Arab Evangelical Episcopal School were very responsive to the importance of the activity, and worked together with the Student Council to collect donations. The alumni were very proud of their work, and pleased to have had the opportunity to help their fellow Palestinians in Gaza. 

By the end of the day, the alumni collected enough donations to purchase around 70 school bags filled with stationary items. The alumni then worked with the Ramallah Youth Club to package all the materials before sending them to Gaza.