Causes: Education, Student Services

Mission: TYO works in disadvantaged areas of the Middle East, enabling children, youth and parents to realize their potential as healthy, active and responsible family and community members.

Geographic areas served: Middle East, West Bank, Lebanon

Programs: Core child program - nablus center: the tyo core child program offers non-formal education activities in art, health, it, music, english and sport for 4-8 year old children from the most disadvantaged areas of nablus, west bank (three refugee camps, old city and khallet al amood). Full-time tyo teachers develop the curricula with input from university professors, and a certified family therapist. All activities are designed to teach children self-expression, practical skills, and coping strategies in a safe environment. Youth volunteers are trained to support teachers in the classroom, providing positive role models for the young children. More centers are being planned for other disadvantaged areas of the middle east. Core program children come to tyo 4 times weekly during 10 to 12-week sessions totaling about 100 program hours per child. Art: a variety of arts and crafts activities provide a forum to explore topics like family and identity, offering an outlet for children to express their hopes, fears, successes and pain. English: international interns lead immersion classes to teach children basic vocabulary and expressions in english, offering a fun cultural exchange and a head start on their english studies in school. Health: activities related to nutrition, personal hygiene, self-esteem and identity promote healthy development of children's bodies and minds. It: the tyo curriculum helps children to become comfortable with the basic computing skills that will be essential to their academic and professional success. These practical skills also contribute to children's self-confidence and capacity to connect with others beyond their immediate community. Sport: individual and group activities teach children motor skills, coordination, teamwork and healthy competition. Sports class also provides a safe context for physical activity which most of our children have no other access to.

women's empowerment:because of their central role in the family and potential leadership for community change, woman are a crucial target for tyo. Therefore, tyo offers two interventions to support women: economic empowerment and mental/physical health and wellbeing. The women's entrepreneurship programs, with support from the cherie blair foundation and other leading organizations in nablus and lebanon,provide customized business development training, coaching, and confidence-building activities for high-potential young women to develop viable business plans based on their skills, education, and motivation to work. By starting their own business, participants generate income for themselves and other female employees thus improving the economic situation of families and the broader community. Specifically, the program addresses two factors that prevent women from doing business and earning a better living: access to information about demand in local and international markets and to sales outlets in those markets; and the business and personal skills required to launch and sustain a commercial enterprise. The project has four unique phases: 1. Selection of female business leaders, initial 4-day intensive training, and individual coaching and mentoring. 2. Production of business plans and linkage to finance. 3. Selection of 8 business plans to be incubated. 4. Futher training and support for business expansion, with particular focus on marketing, distribution, and subcontracting other women. Over the life of the project, 60 women - 20 business leaders and approximately 40 craftswomen and working women with talent, economic need, and the qualifications necessary to staff the businesses - will be engaged directly and 500 family members will be reached indirectly. The women's group provides basic knowledge about health and child development that,combined with self-confidence and other life skills, provides concrete benefits for these women and their families. Tyo offers educational and recreational programs for mothers that support their personal health and happiness, which directly impacts the family's welfare and multiplies the impact and sustainability of tyo's efforts.

youth development: over half of the population in the middle east, and palestine, is under the age of 25. Tyo is committed to engaging this important demographic, the leaders and parents of tomorrow. The tyo youth service learning program is the ideal means to do so, providing young people with a positive outlet for their time and energy as well as personal and professional skills for their future employability. Youth volunteer program - youth volunteers play a vital role in all of tyo's programs. Students from an najah and other local universities are trained in child development and facilitation skills, and oriented to tyo's mission. Then they work 8-15 hours per week alongside professional tyo teachers. For their service, volunteers earn academic credit and scholarship opportunities, as well as invaluable practical experience and training. These young people are an integral part of the tyo community, serving other members but also generating their own activities including community service projects, social events and academic networks. As well as its many benefits for participants, the youth service learning program provides tyo children with role models who provide positive, individualized attention in the classroom and beyond. An najah university (www. Najah. Edu) has offered a great deal of assistance in the establishment of tyo nablus and their students have been an invaluable addition to the tyo team. Its professors play an important role in the development of tyo curricula, and an najah students make up the majority of tyo's youth volunteer corps. We are grateful for an najah's ongoing support of and active participation in tyo's work.

community outreach: it is essential to tyo's success that we are accepted by and become a meaningful part of the local and global community. Locally, we invite all community members to open day events and collaborate with other organizations in nablus. Finally, we are honored to share our nablus constituents' story with the rest of the world through a variety of media and events around the world. The national children's museum (www. Ncm. Museum) in washington dc and tyo share a passion for engaging and empowering children. Ncm, like tyo, offers educational and recreational activities for children and families that inspire children to care about and improve the world. Through its interactive exhibits, online community, and unique national programs and partnerships, ncm is transforming the concept of a traditional museum by becoming a catalyst to inspire and empower kids to speak up, take action, and get engaged in their communities. International intern program: each semester tyo recruits highly qualified american and international interns to work and live at the tyo nablus center. Interns come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, but all bring something unique to share with the nablus community. In 2011, tyo hosted international interns who worked full-time for 10-12 week sessions in cooperation with tyo local and international staff. Interns create enrichment classes for children, youth, and adults from refugee camps and other marginalized areas of the nablus community. Each intern develops and implements their own creative curricula throughout the session and monitors the development of their participants and the effectiveness of various activities and teaching methods. Intern programs may include classes in sports, drama, art, community english classes and weekend recreational activities.