Never Underestimate the Power of Youth

Plant a seed in a fertile soil, water it with carefulness and let it grow in a favorable environment and you will get a strong, fruitful, and everlasting tree. Similarly, youth who are in an encouraging environment, surrounded by a strong support system, when given the chance, can unleash their potential on the whole world. More and more, society's youth are becoming inventive and creative. Today's generation starts thinking of new projects and initiatives at a very early age. And these powerful thinkers are not solely men. On the contrary, young females are being extremely creative and productive when it comes to new, innovative ideas and projects.

Although our society in Palestine is mainly a patriarchal one, we believe that females have equal which is proved clearly through the winners of YALLA project. Of the four youth participants, three are females. And they range from age 14 to 20. These females form a very significant part of Palestinian society, both as youth and as women. Women in Palestine may not always be seen as the head of the household, but young women are the future mothers and leaders. So while we encourage young men and women alike, perhaps more emphasis should be placed on women and their roles in developing their country. We believe that youth are the fundamental pillar in constructing and developing a society. Therefore, society must trust the abilities of the youth whether they be male or females because change-making is not limited to gender or age.

To give some examples, we can look to the three YALLA winners. Rakan who is in his twenties, took many breath-taking photos of Palestine as a way to shed light on the most beautiful aspects of his country to foreigners and Palestinians. This young man has the passion to help spread Palestine through photography. Take Dima and Rola, who are just 14 years old. Dima and Rola, as young people themselves, were aware of the unhealthy eating habits of today's young people. They were inspired to prepare posters and develop an awareness campaign to educate the local community concerning this matter. We can't forget Wala's project in Deir al-Hatab. Through her kids' park, Wala'a  will be able to draw a smile and bring joy to more than 700 children in three villages. Her park is becoming an entertainment source for both children and their families. Regardless of the fields of study youth are interested in, their gender, age, or even their social belonging, youth can always work something out of nothing.