Events
3-day women with disabilities hackathon
Yesterday Shiam in collaboration with Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza and in partnership with Bank of Palestine | بنك فلسطين جمعية نجوم الأمل لتمكين النساء ذوات الاعاقة جمعية بيتنا للتنمية والتطوير المجتمعى have completed the third day of the Women with Disabilities Hackathon! the event is part of "Enhancing Women with Disabilities Social and Economic Inclusion - من حقي ان اشارك" project funded by the Government of Canada. We are proud of our ladies and their hard work and the effort they have put into their amazing initiatives! During the course of three days, all participants have worked on developing 12 initiatives (West Bank and Gaza). The judges have selected the top 4 initiatives that will have the chance to present their initiatives during the closing ceremony.
Shiam in the First Banking on value conference
Mrs. Lana Abu-Hijleh, Co-Founder and Chairwomen of Shiam - Youth Make the Future has participated in the First Banking on Value Conference “Theme: Values Matter” as a guest speaker. Under the Plenary Workshop titled: "Sustainability and Values in the context of SDGs and Impact Investment: Aligning Values in the Development ContexT"; Ms. Lana has emphasised on the importance of utilising the Triple Bottom Line framework in businesses, which focuses on social and environmental concerns and not only on profits. Furthermore, she discussed the importance of engaging community youth and young employees in the sustainability agenda. She continued and said: "Why Youth? Because achieving the 2030 sustainability agenda relies not only on setting goals, but also on a responsive approach to the voice and needs of our population, which is mostly under the age of 25".
Celebrating Success: Enhancing Women and Youth Engagement in Local Governance
Shiam Organization in partnership with Canaaniat Association for Feminist Charity Studies and Development, Al-Awda Center for Childhood and Youth Welfare and Global Communities celebrated the completion of “Enhancing Women and Youth Engagement in Local Governance Through Forming Democratically Elected Youth Local Councils with Equal Female and Male Participation" project funded by Canada Feminist Fund. The event included representatives from the CFF Fund, the Ministry of Local Governance, Tulkarm Municipality, Jenin Municipality and members of both Youth Local Councils (YLCs) in Jenin and Tulkarm. During the Closing Ceremony, the presidents of both councils have presented the mission and the vision of both YLCs, the initiatives that they worked on under the umbrella of the project and their future vision to support the sustainability of their interventions in their local communities.
Discussion Panel : Knowledge Exchange Program
The topic of the panel discussion is “Customs and Traditions” … What is the extent of the influence of customs and traditions on the law, and how do customs and traditions comply with the law? What is the extent of the space given to the clan in applying and preserving customs and traditions and avoiding some of them? Does the younger generation have the right to deviate from customs and traditions and aspire to change them? What is the view of religion from the current customs and traditions? The project is in partnership with the Forum of Expertise - Ramallah Municipality and with the support of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Palestine & Jordan and in collaboration with Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza
Celebrating Success: The closing ceremony of "Interlinkages" Project
Intersect Innovation Hub concluded its project “Interlinkages”, in collaboration with Shiam - Youth Make the Future and Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza and in cooperation with "Hadid Hadafak” association جمعية حدد هدفك. The closing ceremony hosted the four winning entrepreneurial ideas in the virtual hackathon held under the “Interlinkages” project to qualify to the next part of the project where these four ideas get incubated in four different hubs for 6 months in Palestine to support these ideas in all ways possible to turn them into innovative startups with social impacts. Attendees of the closing ceremony included Bank of Palestine | بنك فلسطين Chairman Mr. Hashem Al- Shawa, Intersect chairwoman Mrs. Lana Abu Hijleh, Shiam General Manager Mr. George Kapataies and “Hadid Hafak” Chairman Bara’ Issa.
youth Challenge Bootcamp
Shiam – Youth Make the Future implemented the Youth Challenge Bootcamp 2022 in Palestine, funded and supported by UNICEF as part of Generation Unlimited Initiative to create solutions to combat climate change and all types of violence. Ten teams, each with three to six members, from West Bank and Gaza have joined the Youth Challenge that was launched in Mid-April, to find creative and innovative solutions. The numbers of participating youth in this challenge amounted to almost 47 participants (26 females, 21 males) The training, which was carried out for four days on Zoom platform, was opened with a welcoming note of Chairwoman and founder of Shiam Organization Mrs. Lana Abu Hijleh followed up with a motivational message from Shiam’s General Manager, Mr. George Kapataies. This challenge aims to equip innovators from all of Palestine to create solutions to accelerate sustainable development goals related to “combating climate change” and “all types of violence” in various aspects including education, employment, and civic engagement through using Human Center Design training approach. The participants were introduced to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with a special focus on climate change and conducted in depth work on Business Canvas as a first step in turning their entrepreneurial ideas into real life ventures. On the second day, the participants worked on marketing mechanisms, Pitch Deck, Problem Tree analysis and how to align the needs of the targeted community and the goals of the participating entrepreneurial ventures. On day three, in addition to conducting financial analysis, participants continued to work on the business canvas, and preparing for the pitch day presentations. On the fourth and final day of the youth challenge, the participants worked on time management and crowd funding skills. On April 22, the pitching day and last day of training, the ten participating teams proceeded to pitch their ideas for three minutes only in front of a judging panel composed of entrepreneurial experts from Bank of Palestine, Build Palestine Organization, UN-Habitat and trainer Thaer from Deem Company. Joined us on the Pitching, UNICEF special representative Lucia Elmi, who announced the five winning teams of the Youth Challenge 2022. The five winning teams (Two from Gaza, and Three from West bank) chosen for incubation in Social entrepreneurial incubators in Palestine are: 1- Limitless Minds: Using AI as a method to combat mental abuse 2- Al-Sawsan Al Malaki: Enhancing biodiversity of Palestine through reintroducing Al-Sawsan Al Malaki plant. 3- The Environment Council: Converting solid waste into renewable energy 4- We Can: Holding awareness raising workshops for abused women 5- Golden Team: Producing and distributing high quality strawberries in all part of the West Bank
Celebrating Success: The first of its kind Media Hackathon in Palestine
On September 4th, 2022 the first Media Hackathon of its kind in Palestine implemented by Shiam – Youth Make the Future in partnership with Wattan Media Agency and funded by the Canadian Feminist Fund was concluded. In this hackathon, we have gathered a group of highly talented Palestinian youth to enter a competition to come up with initiatives to find solutions using media tools to enhance the democratic participations of women and youth in Palestine. The five participating teams presented their ideas to a judging panel that included specialists in entrepreneurship, social issues, and media. Three teams were selected to qualify for the incubation phase with Wattan Media Agency that will assist the winning teams to turn their ideas into initiatives ready for implementation.
Celebrating Success: Our Voices Matter
On November 5th Shiam held the closing event for “Our Voices Matter” Project. The project aim was to enhance youth and women and people of expertise knowledge, appreciation and engagement in the democratic processes through multi-generational co-development of relevant online content utilizing podcasts and other media tools including presentation and voice editing skills, in addition to participating in the first of its kind media hackathon in Palestine to find innovative media initiatives to enhance the democratic participation of youth and women. “Our Voices Matter” project engaged more than 50 youth, women, and people of expertise (elders) in designing and producing four podcast episodes for the aim of raising awareness on the importance of youth and women engagement in the democratic process in their local communities. In addition, the project engaged youth in the first of its kind Media Hackathon to design and innovative initiatives that advocate for women and youth civic and democratic engagement. Participating in the closing event were Deputy Mayor of Ramallah Municipality Mr. Salah Hanye, Chairman of Wattan Media Agency Dr. Abed Al Rahman Al Tamimi, and Chairwoman of Shiam Mrs. Lana Abu Hijleh, in addition to members of the Forum of Expertise – Ramallah Municipality and the participating youth from all West Bank governorates The “Our Voices Matter” project was implemented by Shiam – Youth Make the Future in partnership with the Forum of Expertise – Ramallah Municipality and Wattan Training Academy and funded by Canada Feminist Fund (CFF).
Youth Enviromental Challenge - Ramallah
On Saturday, February 18, 2023, Shiam – Youth Make the Future organization concluded the three days Youth Environmental Challenge in Ramallah, where five youth centres from Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem participated in designing and presenting their pitches to a panel of judges comprised of Ms. Ranan Muthafar, the Deputy Chief of Party of the CPCE project, Mr. Mohammed Hmaidi the environmental expert, Mr. Mahmoud AbuAmira, Program Director of the “Supporting MSMES Competitiveness and Growth in Palestine”, Mr. George Kapataies, the General Manager of Shiam, and Ms. Majd Khalife, the Executive Director of Flow Accelerator who have chosen three teams to win the incubation award of 2,000 Dollars for the three months period. The winning teams are: 1. The Innovation and Excellence Team who presented the “Environmental Treatment in a Technical Way” initiative– Hebron, which aims to solve the problem of solid waste cluttered in areas far from the town centre in Taffouh through an electronic mobile app 2. The Happy Oxide Team who presented the “Tak-tik-ha” Initiative – Hebron, which aims to engage the local community in solid waste collection and distribution in Hebron to then be recycled into art and jewellery pieces that can be sold. 3. The Carbon Team who presented “Environmental Scissor” initiative – Bethlehem, which aims to recycle fabrics that are disposed from sewing workshops and factories in Bethlehem and Hebron, where they will be sorted and embroidered to make fabrics, dolls and toys for children, and preserve Palestinian heritage and identity. We wish the participants good luck during their incubation period! This project is implemented in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Family Health International (FHI360) and funded by the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID).
Enviromental Youth Challenge in Nablus
On March 18, 2023, the Environmental Youth Challenge was held in Nablus, where six youth centers from Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Tulkarem participated. Environmental initiatives that were designed over a period of three days were presented to a judging panel consisting of Ms. Ranan Muthaffar, Deputy Chief Of Party for Civic Participation and Community Engagement project, Mr. Mohammed Hamidi, Environmental Specialist, Mr. Mahmoud Abu Amira, the Programme Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Support Project for Creating Job Opportunities for Youth and Women, Mr. George Kapataies, General Manager of Shiam organisation, and Mr. Bilal Alshaikh Ali, Director of Activities and Follow-up Department at Kadoorie University. Three teams were chosen to win the $2,000 Embrace Prize for a period of three months. The three winning teams are: 1. First place: "Flowers Land" initiative, which aims to use treated wastewater from the purification plant for watering various types of roses. This has a positive economic and environmental impact on the owners of these roses by selling them and using them for decoration and events. 2. Second place: "Needle and Thread" initiative, which aims to collect accumulated fabrics in upholstery and sewing workshops and turn them into usable products that help reduce the damage resulting from these fabrics. 3. Third place: "Our Children with Clean Environmental Steps" initiative, which aims to recycle and reshape vehicle tires, containers, cans, and scrap metal at the Dar Al-Amal center in Ramallah and use them to grow roses and plants in a nursery. The project is implemented in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the International Family Health Organization (FHI360) and funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Celebrating the Launch of the Palestinian Professional Women Network!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of an exciting project funded by the Canadian Feminist Fund - CFF Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority, in collaboration with Shiam and Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza. Together, we are dedicated to empowering and supporting professional aspiring and rising women leaders in Palestine. As part of this incredible initiative, we will be establishing the Palestinian Professional Women Network, aimed at fostering the advancement of women into senior decision-making and leadership positions. In partnership with Amam Ventures, we are thrilled to deliver a comprehensive training program - "Get On Board". This program is specifically designed to promote diversity and inclusion on boards and nurture the next generation of female board members. It has already made a successful start in Jordan and Egypt and is now being implemented for the first time in Palestine. During the pilot phase, we carefully selected 27 prominent young professional women to participate in a 6-week specialized training program. This program is designed to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in their careers, whether it's securing leadership positions or joining Boards of Directors. The training curriculum will cover a wide range of topics, including Corporate Governance, Family Enterprise Boards, Start-up Boards, SME Boards, NGO Boards, Leadership Skills, Advocacy, and Awareness. We are incredibly excited about this initiative and the positive impact it will have on empowering Palestinian women in their professional journeys. Together, we can create a more inclusive and diverse leadership landscape. Stay tuned for updates on our progress as we work towards building a stronger, more empowered network of professional women in Palestine!
Celebrating Success: Engage Youth Centres in Designing Environmental Initiatives to Sustain their Local Community Interventions
By the end of July, Shiam – Youth Make the Future has completed the “Engage Youth Centres in Designing Environmental Initiatives to Sustain their Local Community Interventions” project which engaged 11 youth centres and 55 male and female youth members from the South and North of West Bank in two Environmental Youth Challenges over three days each in Nablus and Ramallah, followed by a 1.5 month long incubation phase at the Chambers of Commerce Incubator in Hebron and Hassib Al Sabbagh Incubator in the Arab American University of Jenin. Five youth centres from Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem participated in designing and presenting their pitches to a panel of judges comprised of Ms. Ranan Muthafar, the Deputy Chief of Party of the CPCE project, Mr. Mohammed Hmaidi the environmental expert, Mr. Mahmoud AbuAmira, Program Director of the “Supporting MSMES Competitiveness and Growth in Palestine”, Mr. George Kapataies, the General Manager of Shiam, Ms. Majd Khalife, the Executive Director of Flow Accelerator, Mr. Bilal Alshaikh Ali, Director of Activities and Follow-up Department at Kadoorie University who have chosen three teams to win the incubation award of 2,000 Dollars for 1.5 month period. The six winning teams are: •The Innovation and Excellence Team who presented the “Environmental Treatment in a Technical Way” initiative– Hebron, which aims to solve the problem of solid waste cluttered in areas far from the town centre in Taffouh through an electronic mobile app •The Happy Oxide Team who presented the “Tak-tik-ha” Initiative Hebron, which aims to engage the local community in solid waste collection and distribution in Hebron to then be recycled into art and jewellery pieces that can be sold. •The Carbon Team who presented “Environmental Scissor” initiative – Bethlehem, which aims to recycle fabrics that are disposed from sewing workshops and factories in Bethlehem and Hebron, where they will be sorted and embroidered to make fabrics, dolls and toys for children, and preserve Palestinian heritage and identity. •"Flowers Land" initiative, which aims to use treated wastewater from the purification plant for watering various types of roses. This has a positive economic and environmental impact on the owners of these roses by selling them and using them for decoration and events. •"Needle and Thread" initiative, which aims to collect accumulated fabrics in upholstery and sewing workshops and turn them into usable products that help reduce the damage resulting from these fabrics. •"Our Children with Clean Environmental Steps" initiative, which aims to recycle and reshape vehicle tires, containers, cans, and scrap metal at the Dar Al-Amal center in Ramallah and use them to grow roses and plants in a nursery. The project is implemented in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the International Family Health Organization (FHI360) and funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Shiam’s implementing partners under this project are the Arab European Foundation responsible for designing and delivering the bootcamp training for the engaged youth groups and Wattan Media Network responsible for documenting and producing all published media materials.
Panel Discussion: NGO Governance
We are thrilled to announce the completion of the first panel discussion “NGO Governance” implemented under the "Palestinian Professional Women Network (PPWN)" project funded by the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority and implemented in partnership with Shiam – Youth Make the Future, and in collaboration with Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza and Amam Ventures we proudly executed this milestone event. As a united force, we are devoted to empowering and supporting the journeys of aspiring and rising women leaders in Palestine. The esteemed panelists, Dr. Samah Hamad who led the foundation of Paltel Group, Mr. Aref Husseini, the founder of Al Nayzak organization, and Ms. Rana Abweh past president of the Business and Professional Women Association – Amman (BPWA), shared profound insights on their governance experiences, challenges faced in NGO and foundation boards, and essential best practices. This initiative is part of our commitment to the advancement of professional women through the PPWN project. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this transformative journey!
Launching of Safir: Empowering Youth for SDGs & Gender Equality
Introducing our project: "Empowering Youth for SDGs & Gender Equality". With the support from Responsible Initiative Award under Safir program, our mission is to empower 20 passionate Palestinian youth, fostering youth engagement for sustainable change, with a focus on SDG #5: Empowering women and achieving gender equality to drive change in their communities. Project Goals: • Connect youth with decision-makers and influencers. • Equip them with SDG advocacy skills. • Spark innovation in tackling gender-based violence. • Focus on marginalized groups, especially women and youth. Guided by influential social media mentors, these youth will create innovative campaigns against gender-based violence. Together, we're making a real impact for a brighter future! Stay tuned for updates.
Panel Discussion on Family Business Governance
We are delighted to announce the successful completion of another enriching panel discussion, "Family Business Governance" as part of the "Palestinian Professional Women Network (PPWN)" project! This insightful discussion, held at United Motor Trade Company, explored the dynamics of family business governance. Our esteemed panelists, Mr. Marwan Juma - Chairman of Kasih Foods, Mr. Talha Yaish - Financial Manager of Yaish Group, and Mr. Ziad Anabtawi - Chairman of the Anabtawi Group, who shared their remarkable family business journeys, highlighting the unique challenges and best practices in governance. During the panel, the phrase "Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" resonated as a reminder of the importance of organizational culture in family businesses. This initiative is funded by the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority through Canada Feminist Fund and implemented in partnership with Shiam – Youth Make the Future, and in collaboration with Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza and Amam Ventures. We are dedicated to empowering women in leadership roles and fostering diversity within the business sphere. Special thanks to United Motor Trade Company for graciously hosting us and facilitating this engaging session. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to empower women leaders in Palestine!
panel discussion on Corporate Governance
We are thrilled to celebrate the successful completion of the third and final enlightening panel discussion on Corporate Governance. Our esteemed speakers shared their invaluable insights on this crucial topic. Ms. Manal Zraiq - a pioneering business executive woman who serves on the board for several private companies. She is the chairwoman of Al Mustaqbal school, chairwoman of Zoom Advertising and a board member of Sahem Trading & Investments company and The National Bank. Ms. Majda Labadi – held the position of Executive VP-Organizational Development at Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc. She serves on the board of Al-Hussein Bin Talal University and many other public and private organizations. Ms. Dima Haddadin – is the Secretary of the Board of Directors for Fine Hygienic Holding. Mrs. Haddadin has twenty years of experience as a Corporate Executive at the Nuqul Group, one of the Middle East's leading industrial groups. She assumed different roles within the Group, and is currently the Chief Investment Officer, working at its Family Office. During our engaging discussion, these remarkable women addressed critical questions about their corporate governance journeys: Journey Beginnings and Progress - They shared insights into how their journeys in corporate governance began and where they stand today. Corporate vs. Family Business Governance - Exploring the differences between governance in large corporations and family businesses. Facing Challenges and Navigating Them - Insights into the challenges they encountered and how they successfully navigated them. Roles as Board Members - Understanding their roles and responsibilities as board members. Best Practices in Corporate Governance - Discovering the top three corporate governance best practices from their wealth of experience. Being Women on Boards – Elaborating on how being women board members has influenced their approach and experiences. We would like to thank Sahem Trading & Investments for generously hosting the third panel. This initiative is funded by the Canada Feminist Fund (CFF) through the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority and implemented in partnership with Shiam – Youth Make the Future, in collaboration with Amam Ventures and Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza.
content creation workshop under Safir program
During the final session of the "Empowering Youth for SDGs & Gender Equality" program, we were honoured to have Mr. Ameen Saeb, a professional photographer and a content creator on social media platforms join us to give an introductory workshop on basics and techniques of content creation as part of digital advocacy for the 20 participating youth to amplify their engagement in sustainable change, with a focus on SDG #5: Empowering women and achieving gender equality to drive change in their communities. We are committed to connecting youth with decision-makers and influencers, equipping them with the skills for SDG advocacy, and sparking innovation in combating gender-based violence, especially for marginalized groups, particularly women and youth. Under the guidance of influential social media mentors, these youth will launch creative campaigns against gender-based violence. Together, we are making a real impact for a brighter future! Stay tuned for more updates.
Celebrating Success: Empowering Women's Professional Advancement Journey!
On Friday 29th of September 2023, we came together to celebrate a remarkable achievement – the successful completion of an intensive 6-week training program on Good Governance of Companies and NGOs by a group of young, aspiring professional women! Their dedication, hard work, and commitment have brought these young professionals to this moment. They've not only acquired essential knowledge, skills and governance values but also formed a supportive community of women who are passionate about empowering themselves and advocating for women's rights for equity and inclusion. As part of the supportive community they've created, these empowered women will be connected with others who have completed this certificate program from Amman and Egypt. These linkages will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and lessons learned, further enhancing their professional journeys. This training program, "Get On Board," delivered by Amam Ventures in cooperation with Shiam is specifically designed to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills essential for advancing their careers, whether it be securing leadership roles or positions on boards of directors of for profit companies or any type of institution. The certified course is critical step towards achieving their career aspirations. But this event isn't the end for these young leaders; it's the beginning of a journey to reach senior decision-making and leadership positions within Palestinian corporations, firms, family businesses and others. Together, they are contributing to the collective efforts to achieve gender equality, women's empowerment, and inclusivity. This initiative is funded by the Canada Feminist Fund (CFF) Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority and implemented in partnership with Shiam – Youth Make the Future, in collaboration with Amam Ventures and Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza. The closing event was attended by Representatives from the Canadian Representative Office to Palestine, including Mr. Charles Sarr, the First Secretary (Sustainable Economic Growth Sector), Ms. Lana Abu-Hijleh, Co-Founder of Shiam and current Board Member, Ms. Sheila Crowley, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer from Global Communities, and Ms. Tamara Abdel-Jaber, Partner at Amam Ventures, in addition to the training participants and partners of Shiam organization.
The 3-Day Youth Environmental Challenge - Nablus
On Thursday, March 16th 2023, Shiam - Youth Make the Future launched the Youth Environmental Challenge in Nablus as part of "Engage Youth Centers in Designing Environmental Initiatives to Sustain their Local Community Interventions” project. The 3-Day Bootcamp event engaged six youth centers from Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya and Tulkarem to develop environmentally friendly initiatives that could potentially have a positive impact on their communities. The 3-day competition was among the six groups to transform their innovative ideas into environmental solutions that could help with environemntal problems facing the engaged youth in their local communities. On March 18, 2023, the pitching day and the last day of the Environmental Youth Challenge in Nablus was held where the environmental initiatives that were designed over a period of three days were presented to a judging panel consisting of Ms. Ranan Muthaffar, Deputy Chief Of Party for Civic Participation and Community Engagement project, Mr. Mohammed Hamidi, Environmental Specialist, Mr. Mahmoud Abu Amira, the Programme Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Support Project for Creating Job Opportunities for Youth and Women, Mr. George Kapataies, General Manager of Shiam organisation, and Mr. Bilal Alshaikh Ali, Director of Activities and Follow-up Department at Kadoorie University. Three teams were chosen to win the $2,000 Embrace Prize for a period of three months. As a result, three winning teams were selected to proceed with the incubation period of three months. 1. First place: "Flowers Land" initiative, which aims to use treated wastewater from the purification plant for watering various types of roses. This has a positive economic and environmental impact on the owners of these roses by selling them and using them for decoration and events. 2. Second place: "Needle and Thread" initiative, which aims to collect accumulated fabrics in upholstery and sewing workshops and turn them into usable products that help reduce the damage resulting from these fabrics. 3. Third place: "Our Children with Clean Environmental Steps" initiative, which aims to recycle and reshape vehicle tires, containers, cans, and scrap metal at the Dar Al-Amal center in Ramallah and use them to grow roses and plants in a nursery. The project is implemented in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the International Family Health Organization (FHI360) and funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
