would you spare a cup of coffee if you knew that it could and radicalism what
knew that it could and radicalism what
knew that it could and radicalism what if I told you that by giving up one cup
if I told you that by giving up one cup
if I told you that by giving up one cup of coffee a month and putting that five
of coffee a month and putting that five
of coffee a month and putting that five dollars towards refugee higher education
dollars towards refugee higher education
dollars towards refugee higher education together we could shut down a refugee
together we could shut down a refugee
together we could shut down a refugee camp granted it may take 60,000 of us
camp granted it may take 60,000 of us
camp granted it may take 60,000 of us but in a world of almost 8 billion
but in a world of almost 8 billion
but in a world of almost 8 billion people that’s a handful of coffee
people that’s a handful of coffee
people that’s a handful of coffee drinkers giving up 12 lattes a year
drinkers giving up 12 lattes a year
drinkers giving up 12 lattes a year peanuts but for the 600 million youth
peanuts but for the 600 million youth
peanuts but for the 600 million youth impacted by conflict worldwide it’s a
impacted by conflict worldwide it’s a
impacted by conflict worldwide it’s a chance at a life it gives them the
chance at a life it gives them the
chance at a life it gives them the skills and the education they need to
skills and the education they need to
skills and the education they need to become financially independent and guard
become financially independent and guard
become financially independent and guard themselves against radical ideology I’ve
themselves against radical ideology I’ve
themselves against radical ideology I’ve worked for 12 years in the Middle East
worked for 12 years in the Middle East
worked for 12 years in the Middle East and I’ve started a dozen tech and social
and I’ve started a dozen tech and social
and I’ve started a dozen tech and social ventures to support our abuse who are in
ventures to support our abuse who are in
ventures to support our abuse who are in conflict zones like Palestine and Iraq
conflict zones like Palestine and Iraq
conflict zones like Palestine and Iraq and Syria and North Africa the
and Syria and North Africa the
and Syria and North Africa the successful fundraising campaigns that we
successful fundraising campaigns that we
successful fundraising campaigns that we did for youth led an organization in
did for youth led an organization in
did for youth led an organization in Lebanon to invite me to help them figure
Lebanon to invite me to help them figure
Lebanon to invite me to help them figure out how they can raise more funds for
out how they can raise more funds for
out how they can raise more funds for youth higher education there I met Melek
youth higher education there I met Melek
youth higher education there I met Melek with her small team of volunteers they
with her small team of volunteers they
with her small team of volunteers they had raised funds for 200 scholarships
had raised funds for 200 scholarships
had raised funds for 200 scholarships for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and
for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and
for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and they wanted to do a lot more Malik told
they wanted to do a lot more Malik told
they wanted to do a lot more Malik told me that refugee youth were disconnected
me that refugee youth were disconnected
me that refugee youth were disconnected from the rest of the world by their
from the rest of the world by their
from the rest of the world by their physical environment and that if she
physical environment and that if she
physical environment and that if she could help one young lady go through
could help one young lady go through
could help one young lady go through college and graduate and mentor her to
college and graduate and mentor her to
college and graduate and mentor her to get a job that one young lady can get
get a job that one young lady can get
get a job that one young lady can get her entire family of seven out of a
her entire family of seven out of a
her entire family of seven out of a refugee camp having never been in one I
refugee camp having never been in one I
refugee camp having never been in one I couldn’t comprehend the impact that the
couldn’t comprehend the impact that the
couldn’t comprehend the impact that the environment had or your own young people
environment had or your own young people
environment had or your own young people my two children had an idyllic life in
my two children had an idyllic life in
my two children had an idyllic life in Northern Virginia and then Dubai they
Northern Virginia and then Dubai they
Northern Virginia and then Dubai they went to schools rode their bikes made
went to schools rode their bikes made
went to schools rode their bikes made friends and played team sports and
friends and played team sports and
friends and played team sports and everywhere else that I’ve worked in the
everywhere else that I’ve worked in the
everywhere else that I’ve worked in the Middle East seemed to offer a reasonable
Middle East seemed to offer a reasonable
Middle East seemed to offer a reasonable environment for young people so on that
environment for young people so on that
environment for young people so on that same trip I visited Brazil by Raj Nair a
same trip I visited Brazil by Raj Nair a
same trip I visited Brazil by Raj Nair a Palestinian refugee camp that was set up
Palestinian refugee camp that was set up
Palestinian refugee camp that was set up in Lebanon 69 years ago the tents that
in Lebanon 69 years ago the tents that
in Lebanon 69 years ago the tents that you see transformed to a densely packed
you see transformed to a densely packed
you see transformed to a densely packed concrete jungle many of the rooms or
concrete jungle many of the rooms or
concrete jungle many of the rooms or homes we visited couldn’t get any
homes we visited couldn’t get any
homes we visited couldn’t get any sunlight or airflow so mildew was
sunlight or airflow so mildew was
sunlight or airflow so mildew was growing on the walls 11 a family of
growing on the walls 11 a family of
growing on the walls 11 a family of eleven was living in a single room and
eleven was living in a single room and
eleven was living in a single room and the narrow alleyways that we took that
the narrow alleyways that we took that
the narrow alleyways that we took that were filled with trash were also covered
were filled with trash were also covered
were filled with trash were also covered with exposed electrical wiring 40 people
with exposed electrical wiring 40 people
with exposed electrical wiring 40 people had died that year that I visited from
had died that year that I visited from
had died that year that I visited from electrocution just going to their homes
electrocution just going to their homes
electrocution just going to their homes young people were hanging out in these
young people were hanging out in these
young people were hanging out in these narrow alleyways not at school and not
narrow alleyways not at school and not
narrow alleyways not at school and not at jobs because the unemployment rate in
at jobs because the unemployment rate in
at jobs because the unemployment rate in refugee camps was at 60% and so kids saw
refugee camps was at 60% and so kids saw
refugee camps was at 60% and so kids saw no hope in going on to get a degree and
no hope in going on to get a degree and
no hope in going on to get a degree and despite these terrible conditions the
despite these terrible conditions the
despite these terrible conditions the camp was very peaceful we were walking
camp was very peaceful we were walking
camp was very peaceful we were walking around at 11:00 p.m. not concerned for
around at 11:00 p.m. not concerned for
around at 11:00 p.m. not concerned for our safety most refugees the majority
our safety most refugees the majority
our safety most refugees the majority are peaceful but they’re also very
are peaceful but they’re also very
are peaceful but they’re also very vulnerable and all it takes is one
vulnerable and all it takes is one
vulnerable and all it takes is one family crisis you’re the mom of this
family crisis you’re the mom of this
family crisis you’re the mom of this young man can get ill and that would
young man can get ill and that would
young man can get ill and that would maybe change his mind about accepting an
maybe change his mind about accepting an
maybe change his mind about accepting an offer from a radical recruiter who
offer from a radical recruiter who
offer from a radical recruiter who promises him with medical relief for his
promises him with medical relief for his
promises him with medical relief for his mother or a better future life having
mother or a better future life having
mother or a better future life having seen that I made higher education my
seen that I made higher education my
seen that I made higher education my focus and I started a program with
focus and I started a program with
focus and I started a program with Malik’s organization Jenna was the first
Malik’s organization Jenna was the first
Malik’s organization Jenna was the first to join our program we put her profile
to join our program we put her profile
to join our program we put her profile online and quickly got her crowd funded
online and quickly got her crowd funded
online and quickly got her crowd funded by a group of women who also offered to
by a group of women who also offered to
by a group of women who also offered to mentor her online within no time
mentor her online within no time
mentor her online within no time Jenna was working with a social
Jenna was working with a social
Jenna was working with a social publisher on with a virtual internship
publisher on with a virtual internship
publisher on with a virtual internship with social publisher in the state
with social publisher in the state
with social publisher in the state and soon she graduated and she’s been
and soon she graduated and she’s been
and soon she graduated and she’s been helping other young women follow in her
helping other young women follow in her
helping other young women follow in her footsteps the work that I did with medic
footsteps the work that I did with medic
footsteps the work that I did with medic and a number of other organizations
and a number of other organizations
and a number of other organizations helped a couple of thousand young people
helped a couple of thousand young people
helped a couple of thousand young people through offering virtual mentorship that
through offering virtual mentorship that
through offering virtual mentorship that human connection and giving online
human connection and giving online
human connection and giving online internships with a little bit of crowd
internships with a little bit of crowd
internships with a little bit of crowd funding these people young refugees were
funding these people young refugees were
funding these people young refugees were becoming independent but that was a drop
becoming independent but that was a drop
becoming independent but that was a drop in the bucket
in the bucket
in the bucket because when the Syrian war broke out it
because when the Syrian war broke out it
because when the Syrian war broke out it displaced 11 million people 450,000 of
displaced 11 million people 450,000 of
displaced 11 million people 450,000 of them were in the university and their
them were in the university and their
them were in the university and their education was disrupted because it was
education was disrupted because it was
education was disrupted because it was my place of birth I went to visit a
my place of birth I went to visit a
my place of birth I went to visit a refugee camp in Lebanon to see what I
refugee camp in Lebanon to see what I
refugee camp in Lebanon to see what I could do and nothing I had seen would
could do and nothing I had seen would
could do and nothing I had seen would have prepared me for the tragedy that
have prepared me for the tragedy that
have prepared me for the tragedy that had befallen my fellow countrymen as far
had befallen my fellow countrymen as far
had befallen my fellow countrymen as far as the eye can see
as the eye can see
as the eye can see tents filled the Bekaa Valley and as
tents filled the Bekaa Valley and as
tents filled the Bekaa Valley and as many as 8 people were packed in one tent
many as 8 people were packed in one tent
many as 8 people were packed in one tent earning or not earning getting a stipend
earning or not earning getting a stipend
earning or not earning getting a stipend of $100.00 a month that wasn’t enough
of $100.00 a month that wasn’t enough
of $100.00 a month that wasn’t enough for a family and so everybody over 12
for a family and so everybody over 12
for a family and so everybody over 12 had to work kids were working in
had to work kids were working in
had to work kids were working in sweatshops for 12-hour days making
sweatshops for 12-hour days making
sweatshops for 12-hour days making flip-flops professionals accountants and
flip-flops professionals accountants and
flip-flops professionals accountants and teachers were now working in farm fields
teachers were now working in farm fields
teachers were now working in farm fields and factories earning $2 a day the
and factories earning $2 a day the
and factories earning $2 a day the situation was pretty desperate for most
situation was pretty desperate for most
situation was pretty desperate for most refugees that I met and the only
refugees that I met and the only
refugees that I met and the only connection that young people had to the
connection that young people had to the
connection that young people had to the rest of the world were their mobile
rest of the world were their mobile
rest of the world were their mobile phones on that same visit I met I met a
phones on that same visit I met I met a
phones on that same visit I met I met a young man Syrian from Homs he and his
young man Syrian from Homs he and his
young man Syrian from Homs he and his family took the journey of death on feet
family took the journey of death on feet
family took the journey of death on feet they walked 64 miles from hemp’s to the
they walked 64 miles from hemp’s to the
they walked 64 miles from hemp’s to the Bekaa Valley more people had died than
Bekaa Valley more people had died than
Bekaa Valley more people had died than we’re living in that journey and when
we’re living in that journey and when
we’re living in that journey and when Armen was telling me the story of how he
Armen was telling me the story of how he
Armen was telling me the story of how he saw his uncle and cousin killed in a
saw his uncle and cousin killed in a
saw his uncle and cousin killed in a landmine explosion there was no
landmine explosion there was no
landmine explosion there was no expression on his face
expression on his face
expression on his face it was haunting It was as if he was
it was haunting It was as if he was
it was haunting It was as if he was talking about somebody else that
expressionless face reminded me of when
expressionless face reminded me of when I was younger and I had a physical
I was younger and I had a physical
I was younger and I had a physical trauma in order to escape my fear I
trauma in order to escape my fear I
trauma in order to escape my fear I disconnected from my emotions but by
disconnected from my emotions but by
disconnected from my emotions but by disconnecting from fear
disconnecting from fear
disconnecting from fear I also disconnected from love and all
I also disconnected from love and all
I also disconnected from love and all other emotions that would go on to make
other emotions that would go on to make
other emotions that would go on to make me a normal functioning human being and
me a normal functioning human being and
me a normal functioning human being and it took a very long time for me to be
it took a very long time for me to be
it took a very long time for me to be able to establish that connection again
able to establish that connection again
able to establish that connection again Armand and the hundred thousand other
Armand and the hundred thousand other
Armand and the hundred thousand other Syrians were University aged fled their
Syrians were University aged fled their
Syrians were University aged fled their countries in hopes of a better life only
countries in hopes of a better life only
countries in hopes of a better life only to find that there in host countries
to find that there in host countries
to find that there in host countries that have very expensive universities
that have very expensive universities
that have very expensive universities and very high unemployment rates they
and very high unemployment rates they
and very high unemployment rates they couldn’t afford to work to pay for their
couldn’t afford to work to pay for their
couldn’t afford to work to pay for their own education enrollment for Syrians
own education enrollment for Syrians
own education enrollment for Syrians dropped from 20 percent down to 5
dropped from 20 percent down to 5
dropped from 20 percent down to 5 percent in universities and they’re
percent in universities and they’re
percent in universities and they’re always told that they’re gonna go back
always told that they’re gonna go back
always told that they’re gonna go back but the reality is they cannot for
but the reality is they cannot for
but the reality is they cannot for Syrian refugees that’s been over five
Syrian refugees that’s been over five
Syrian refugees that’s been over five years
years
years Iraqis over ten Afghani is over 15 and
Iraqis over ten Afghani is over 15 and
Iraqis over ten Afghani is over 15 and Palestinians have been out of their
Palestinians have been out of their
Palestinians have been out of their homeland for over 60 years and this
homeland for over 60 years and this
homeland for over 60 years and this wasn’t just an Arab refugee problem less
wasn’t just an Arab refugee problem less
wasn’t just an Arab refugee problem less than 1% of refugees worldwide have
than 1% of refugees worldwide have
than 1% of refugees worldwide have access to funding for higher education
so the nagging question that kept me up
so the nagging question that kept me up at night
at night
at night is how could we scale the work that we
is how could we scale the work that we
is how could we scale the work that we did with Malik’s organization to support
did with Malik’s organization to support
did with Malik’s organization to support the 450,000 Syrian youth worldwide
the 450,000 Syrian youth worldwide
the 450,000 Syrian youth worldwide without access to university education
without access to university education
without access to university education or the 500 million youth who are
or the 500 million youth who are
or the 500 million youth who are impacted by conflict we knew that they
impacted by conflict we knew that they
impacted by conflict we knew that they were connected to the world through
were connected to the world through
were connected to the world through their mobile phones and from the work
their mobile phones and from the work
their mobile phones and from the work that we did with Malik we knew that hope
that we did with Malik we knew that hope
that we did with Malik we knew that hope gave them something to look forward to
gave them something to look forward to
gave them something to look forward to an internship or a college degree and
an internship or a college degree and
an internship or a college degree and with some funding we were able to
with some funding we were able to
with some funding we were able to support them so along with a group of
support them so along with a group of
support them so along with a group of coders refugee coders and young people
coders refugee coders and young people
coders refugee coders and young people like Jenna we put together all of these
like Jenna we put together all of these
like Jenna we put together all of these features in an
features in an
features in an now I know that sounds like it’s
now I know that sounds like it’s
now I know that sounds like it’s oversimplifying the problem but this was
oversimplifying the problem but this was
oversimplifying the problem but this was a solution that they came up with they
a solution that they came up with they
a solution that they came up with they wanted to connect to the rest of the
wanted to connect to the rest of the
wanted to connect to the rest of the world through a social network that was
world through a social network that was
world through a social network that was their own to allow people to see them
their own to allow people to see them
their own to allow people to see them read their stories here about their
read their stories here about their
read their stories here about their lives and also to allow these people who
lives and also to allow these people who
lives and also to allow these people who are on the network to offer them
are on the network to offer them
are on the network to offer them mentorship internships online or on a
mentorship internships online or on a
mentorship internships online or on a day where these people felt sufficiently
day where these people felt sufficiently
day where these people felt sufficiently caffeinated give up that $5.00 in lieu
caffeinated give up that $5.00 in lieu
caffeinated give up that $5.00 in lieu of their education EDD is in its infancy
of their education EDD is in its infancy
of their education EDD is in its infancy and we’re hoping that we can grow it if
and we’re hoping that we can grow it if
and we’re hoping that we can grow it if we can get 6000 young people on it and
we can get 6000 young people on it and
we can get 6000 young people on it and 60 thousand who would support them we
60 thousand who would support them we
60 thousand who would support them we could shut down a refugee camp with your
could shut down a refugee camp with your
could shut down a refugee camp with your help we could do a lot more because the
help we could do a lot more because the
help we could do a lot more because the original challenge is how we can fund
original challenge is how we can fund
original challenge is how we can fund the 600 million youth out there living
the 600 million youth out there living
the 600 million youth out there living in conflict and support them to become a
in conflict and support them to become a
in conflict and support them to become a part of a more peaceful world and the
part of a more peaceful world and the
part of a more peaceful world and the opportunity is first to offer them hope
opportunity is first to offer them hope
opportunity is first to offer them hope human connection love and support for
human connection love and support for
human connection love and support for their education and the funding they
their education and the funding they
their education and the funding they need to join peaceful global citizens
need to join peaceful global citizens
need to join peaceful global citizens are you with me
”
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