In 2007, we were college undergraduates studying in Washington, D.C. Each of us carried a tremendous academic and personal interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our collective heritage holds stories of Palestine, Israel, and migration. In our view, one of the roadblocks to peace is the future of the seven million Palestinian refugees, with particular focus on the younger generation.
We thought about what we could do change their lives. We lacked the political capacity to broker a peace deal, negotiate land treaties, or end political infighting. But after speaking to academics, village elders, local community leaders and organizations, and refugee youth, we realized that there was one area where we could make a significant difference: education.
Inspire Dreams was born out of this premise. We see education as a tool to empower a disenfranchised sector of society and further their ability to become professionals contributing to Palestine's educational and economic development. We believe in the idea of “positive deviance,” and our work greatly incorporates the thoughts and ideas of the communities we serve.
Since our inception, our organization has served over 500+ Palestinian refugee youth living in the West Bank. Our programs include a leadership camp, a college preparatory course, and a summer service program that sends seven American interns each summer to work in the West Bank. In the pages on this site, you can learn more about our programs.
As we approach our fourth year of work, we feel even more motivated to serve the communities at hand. We have built wonderful partnerships and friendships with business executives, former Ambassadors, local leaders, and village elders--all with the same goal in mind: the children.
Please join us to help Inspire Dreams.
Best,
Hammad, Rod and Indra
Co-Founders/Directors of Inspire Dreams
