Desert Stars

Israel, 2018-2020

Social Responsibility

Project story

Israel’s Bedouin community is in transition, challenged by constant change as it seeks to strike a workable balance between traditional and contemporary values and lifestyles, while developing and overcoming significant socioeconomic and educational gaps.

Desert Stars seeks to address this situation by empowering mission-driven Bedouin young people to realize their individual and collective leadership potential, to move their communities forward, while strengthening Israeli society. They will become the change-making leaders of tomorrow.

The process

Challenge

The Bedouin community’s traditional value system is challenged by deeply-rooted socioeconomic and educational gaps. Desert Stars is shaping a new generation of leaders in Israel’s Bedouin community to achieve the significant changes required for its future development, while strengthening the fabric of Israeli society in general.

Approach

Working together, Desert Stars’ Jewish and Arab board members create focused leadership and academic programs designed to engage talented youth and young adults from tribes across the Negev Desert region, equipping an emerging generation to set course for the future.

Solution

Desert Stars has developed a comprehensive range of educational and leadership programs aimed at young people of various ages. These include a Leadership High School, and Empowerment Center, a Leadership and Entrepreneurship Incubator and a dedicated Leadership Program for Women.

Some numbers

SDGs we followed

4· 8· 10

Quality education• Decent work and economic growth• Reduced inequalities

Graduates that have completed the program

Graduates that have completed their academic studies

Some numbers

SDGs we followed

4· 8· 10

Quality education• Decent work and economic growth• Reduced inequalities

Graduates that have completed the program

Graduates that have completed their academic studies

In conversation
with Tamer Abu Jaffar, Ahmed Abu Jodar & Diab Abu Sa’aluk

Tamer Abu Jaffar is a Desert Stars participant.

“I feel lucky to be in this program! I received a genuine opportunity to develop my leadership skills and expand the circles of influence in my life. I feel that this program accelerates our ability to bring change to Bedouin society and Israeli society in general.”

Diab Abu Sa’aluk is a Desert Stars participant.

“I always loved doing things beyond my studies. Desert Stars helped me take the first, most important step on the way to my dream – to establish a youth group for Bedouins.”

Ahmed Abu Jodar is a Desert Stars participant.

“In this program I’m learning and progressing in many fields. The meetings at Mitrelli were significant and powerful, meeting unique people and learning from them constantly as they contributed their professional knowledge.”