Vocational Education Stream

ruwwad

Glocalshift Program: Learning to Earning -Ruwwad Lebanon/Lebanon

About Ruwwad Lebanon 

Founded in 2012, Ruwwad Al Tanmeya Lebanon is a community development organization that works with disenfranchised communities through education, youth volunteerism, and grassroots organizing. Rooted in long-term presence and trust within Tripoli’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, Ruwwad promotes social and economic participation by equipping youth, women and generally the communities we serve, with the skills, opportunities, and support networks needed to improve their lives and contribute to their communities.

Target: 300

ruwwad

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, Ruwwad Lebanon will deliver a community-based, demand-driven vocational and employability program for Vulnerable and refugee youth in Tripoli, linking participants directly to employers through technical training, soft skills development, and paid internships and apprenticeships. Shaped through industry consultation and aligned with market demand and employability standards, the program will offer certified training across three tracks: Tech and IT, covering digital skills, basic coding, software development, data analytics, and office and IT support; Hospitality, including barista skills, kitchen operations, and guest services; and Cosmetology, including hairstyling, make-up artistry, and nail care.

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Gaza Sky Geeks

Glocalshift Program: Learning to Earning – Gaza Sky Geeks/Palestine

About Gaza Sky Geeks 

Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG), Mercy Corps Palestine’s flagship digital livelihoods program- was launched in 2011 with support from Google.org. Today, it stands as the largest tech training hub in Palestine, empowering youth and local companies across Gaza and the West Bank to build sustainable digital careers and connect with global markets. Through its approach, GSG enables Palestinians to overcome limited local opportunities, bring foreign revenue into the economy, and supports the development of a sustainable tech ecosystem. To deliver on its mission, GSG is structured around the following components: individual training and internships, company upskilling, market access, and sector wide promotional activities.

Target: 555

Gaza Sky Geeks

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG) will deliver a digital skills and employability program designed to prepare participants for remote work, self-employment, and technology-sector careers. Delivered through multiple parallel cohorts over 12 months, the program will offer technical training ranging from 40 to 250 hours across software and web development, mobile development, AWS cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence fundamentals, digital marketing, design, and motion graphics. Participants will also have opportunities to earn internationally recognized industry credentials from providers including AWS, CompTIA, and DataCamp, strengthening their competitiveness in regional and global digital labor markets.

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Glocalshift Program: Learning to Earning -Birzeit University/Palestine

About Birzeit University 

Founded on the principles of excellence and opportunity for all, Birzeit University has become Palestine’s leading academic institution. It is an academic powerhouse with a clear focus on excellence that has secured it national and international recognition unparalleled with other established institutions. Birzeit University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that stands in the service of the country and the community.
Birzeit University constantly strives to keep up with international developments, align them within a local and regional context and expand ongoing development plans underpinned by the principles that guided the university since its establishment as a school in 1924. These plans seek to provide the finest higher education for Palestinians in an atmosphere of academic freedom and liberalism, accomplish academic excellence, serve the Palestinian community and engage in national action.

Target: 400

Birzeit University

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, Birzeit University will deliver the AI-Enabled Career Readiness Program, preparing 400 final-year students from the West Bank for employment, freelancing, remote work, or entrepreneurship in a rapidly evolving labour market. Delivered through a hybrid model, the program will bridge gaps between academic education and market needs by combining career readiness and employability skills, entrepreneurship training and mentoring, digital, AI, and data fluency, and an introduction to global freelancing. Participants will also benefit from employer engagement, internships, job matching, and structured pathways into remote work and entrepreneurial opportunities.

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Save youth Future

Glocalshift Program: to Earning – Save The Youth Future/Palestine

About Save The Youth Future

Save Youth Future Society (SYFS) is a leading Palestinian civil society organization established in 2001 with a mission to empower youth, strengthen community resilience, and expand opportunities for social, economic, and educational development across the Gaza Strip. Over more than two decades, SYFS has earned a reputation as one of Gaza’s most capable and trusted local actors, delivering large-scale programmes in youth development, digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, protection, and livelihoods. SYFS’s approach is grounded in the conviction that when young people are equipped with relevant skills, supportive environments, and meaningful opportunities, they can become powerful drivers of community resilience, even amid protracted crises. This vision guides SYFS’s work to restore dignity, confidence, and agency among youth whose futures have been profoundly affected by recurrent conflict, displacement, and economic collapse.

Target: 700

Save youth Future

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, Save The Youth Future will deliver a crisis-responsive skills and livelihoods initiative for youth in Gaza, combining vocational micro-skills, green skills, and digital employability training. The program will cover home electrical and solar basics, plumbing, mobile device troubleshooting, small engine and bicycle repair, basic logistics and humanitarian coordination, as well as household food production, micro-gardening, composting, recycling and upcycling, graywater management, eco-friendly construction, and the installation and maintenance of home-level solar systems. Participants will also develop digital literacy, basic ICT skills, English for employability, and freelancing readiness, strengthening their ability to access livelihood opportunities and respond to the needs of their communities.

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Glocalshift Program: Learning to Earning -GlocalShift Gaza Stars/Palestine

About GlocalShift Gaza Stars 

GlocalShift is a non-profit organisation that creates jobs and opportunities for host communities, refugees, and vulnerable youth across the MENA region and Ukraine.We empower local organisations to build sustainable livelihoods and inclusive economies in fragile and crisis-affected areas.

Target: 300

Glocalshift

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, GlocalShift will deliver Gaza Stars, a six-month startup recovery and youth entrepreneurship program supporting economic and social recovery in Gaza through short-cycle training, mentorship, competition-based support, and seed funding. Targeting existing startups and aspiring entrepreneurs, with at least 40% participation from women and vulnerable youth, the program will be delivered through two tracks: the Recovery Track, which will support the rebuilding and revival of 150 viable pre-war startups, and the Innovation Track, which will enable 150 young people to develop, test, and prototype new business solutions responding to Gaza’s post-war economic and social needs.

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RPS

Glocalshift Program: Learning to Earning – RPS MENA/Lebanon

About RPS MENA

RPS MENA is a social impact consulting, training, and research firm headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, with a regional footprint across the MENA region. Since 2018, it has supported over 80 organizations through projects in youth empowerment, employability, and organizational capacity building. With an agile and credentialed team, RPS MENA specializes in designing training programmes that merge international standards with local realities.

Target: 100

RPS

Program Description

As part of the Learning to Earning program, RPS MENA will deliver a career-readiness and project management pathway for vulnerable Lebanese youth and refugee, combining soft skills training with internationally aligned project delivery competencies. The program will cover global labor market trends, the impact of technology and automation, sustainability, resilience and adaptability, and professional development, while responding to growing demand for PMI-aligned skills across Lebanon’s infrastructure, NGO, and reconstruction sectors. By expanding access to internationally recognized certification pathways, the program will support participants in entering project-based roles with clear progression opportunities into supervisory and leadership positions. Psychosocial support will also be integrated to strengthen resilience, retention, and workplace performance in a high-pressure, crisis-affected context.

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Sadeq Nader

A Second Chance That Changed Everything

Sadeq Nader

Sadeq Nader dreamed of becoming a doctor, but a severe illness requiring two years of treatment forced him to reconsider his future. After recovering, he discovered a new passion for automotive technology.

Through the strategic partnership between Luminus and the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund, Sadeq received a scholarship to join a four-month automotive technology program at Luminus. With practical training, expert guidance, and strong personal commitment, he developed the technical skills and confidence needed to begin a new career.

After completing the program, Sadeq joined Al Qatraneh Power Generation Company as a maintenance technician and was later promoted to administrative assistant. He now hopes to study Business Administration and continue progressing toward leadership roles.

“The scholarship was a turning point. It gave me hope, helped me rebuild my future, and made up for what I lost during my illness.” — Sadeq Nader

“The opportunity provided by the scholarship was a real turning point. It gave me hope, helped me rebuild my future, and made up for what I lost during my illness. Today, I am in a better place and determined to achieve even more”.( Sadeq )

Sadeq Nader
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Muhtawak

From Web Designer to Quality Assurance Professional

Roa’a Smisem

Roa’a Smisem began her career as a web designer but aspired to strengthen her programming skills and move into software Quality Assurance. Her main challenge was limited access to formal training in modern programming frameworks, software testing, and practical application development.

Through the strategic partnership between Luminus and the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund, Roa’a received a scholarship to join the ASP.NET training program at Luminus College. The program combined technical training, hands-on projects, assessments, mentorship, and career preparation, helping her build strong skills in programming and software testing.

Following the program, Roa’a successfully transitioned into Quality Assurance and secured a remote position with Muhtawak, a Saudi-based company. Today, she continues to grow professionally and hopes to contribute to innovative technology projects.

“The scholarship and training gave me the skills, confidence, and guidance to pursue a career I truly love. I am forever grateful to the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund for this opportunity.” — Roa’a Smisem

Muhtawak
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Wafaa Al Masri’s Learning Journey from Gaza

Wafaa Al Masri

Wafaa Al Masri, a determined learner from Gaza, pursued her education despite significant challenges. Frequent electricity outages and unstable internet made online learning difficult, yet she remained committed to growing professionally.

Through a partnership with the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund and Luminus Technical University College, Wafaa accessed structured learning, skilled instructors, and a supportive environment that allowed her to continue her studies despite the surrounding instability.

Throughout the program, Wafaa actively collaborated on team projects, built meaningful connections, and strengthened both her technical skills and confidence.

“Despite the challenges around me, this program gave me hope, knowledge, and a sense of belonging. I am deeply grateful to the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund for making this life-changing opportunity possible,” she shares.

Today, Wafaa continues her education and applies her skills with resilience and determination, inspired by the opportunities made possible through the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund and Luminus.

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Muna Al-Sheikh: Bridging Education and Opportunity

Muna Al-Sheikh

Muna Al-Sheikh, a 28-year-old Jordanian electrical engineering graduate from Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, faced a challenge common to many young professionals: entering a job market that demanded practical experience. While proud of her academic achievement, Muna soon realized that classroom learning alone was not enough to prepare her for the professional world.

Seeking a way to bridge this gap, Muna joined the Photovoltaic (PV) Installation course at the German Energy Academy in Jordan, delivered in partnership with the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund. From the outset, the program offered a hands-on, industry-focused learning experience, combining field visits to major solar projects such as the Baynouna Solar Project, practical installation workshops, and interactive sessions led by experienced engineers.

The training strengthened Muna’s technical skills and, more importantly, her confidence. Upon completion, she was nominated for an interview with a leading solar energy company in Jordan, where her strong performance led to employment.

Today, Muna works as a renewable energy engineer, contributing to solar installations for homes and factories across Jordan. She describes the German Energy Academy as a “critical turning point” that transformed her from a graduate into a job-ready professional. Her journey reflects the value of practical training and strategic partnerships under the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund in enabling young engineers to build meaningful careers in the renewable energy sector.

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The Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund is administered by the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF)

Contact Us

For any General or Program enquiries:  refugeeeducation@alghurairfoundation.org

For Media related enquiries: pr@alghurairfoundation.org

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