Where Your Donation Goes: Funding Mentorship and University Courses for Displaced Gazans
When people donate to Wasla Connect, they are not only supporting a program. They are helping someone rebuild a path that conflict interrupted.
Donors often ask two fair questions:
What does my donation cover, and what change does it create?
This post explains exactly that.
Who we are
Wasla Connect is a mentorship and professional development program that supports displaced Palestinian talent through long-term opportunity building.
Our work is grounded in three pillars: (1) mentorship and trusted guidance, (2) practical career readiness, and (3) community and access to networks. We deliver this through three ways people can join: Mentors support participants through structured 1:1 sessions, Trainers run practical workshops or office hours on specific skills, and Volunteers strengthen the program behind the scenes through coordination, resources, communications, and community support.
Why donations matter to our model
Mentorship alone is powerful, but mentorship works best when it is paired with structured learning and credible credentials. That is why donations are essential to Wasla Connect. They fund the learning and program infrastructure that volunteer time cannot cover.
In every cohort, we make sure participants are supported not only with guidance, but also with training and education that improves their real-world opportunities.
University courses that restore interrupted education
Many Gazans had their education abruptly paused or cut short due to conflict, border closures, and displacement.
Through partnerships with institutions such as the American University in Cairo (AUC), Wasla Connect enables participants to enroll in accredited university courses. These courses help restore academic continuity, build recognized credentials, and strengthen career pathways that conflict disrupted.
Education is not only learning. It is proof that progress is still possible.
If you have contacts at universities or micro-credential programs that could help offer accredited courses to Gazans, please email [email protected].
What your donation covers
Every donation helps cover the core building blocks that make long-term opportunity possible:
1) AUC course fees and education-related expenses
This is a major part of where donations go. Your support helps remove the cost barrier so participants can access accredited learning and build credentials they can confidently list on their CV and LinkedIn.
2) Structured mentorship program delivery
Matching mentors and mentees well, supporting communication, and keeping progress consistent across months takes real coordination. Donations help ensure the program is reliable for both mentors and mentees.
3) Live training and career readiness support
Donations support practical sessions that help participants produce real outputs: stronger CVs, clearer portfolios, better interview readiness, and a more focused job search strategy.
4) Safeguarding, privacy, and dignity
Working with displaced communities requires strong standards. Donations support consent-based storytelling and privacy practices that protect participants and build trust.
5) Measurement and improvement
We collect feedback, learn what works, and improve each cohort so impact scales without losing quality.
Donations that directly power the path forward
Every donation to Wasla Connect directly funds mentorship, training, and education for displaced Gazans.
$1,000 – Support four participants
Provides four displaced Palestinians with four months of mentorship, live training, and access to university education through AUC.
$500 – Support two participants
Supports two participants through four months of mentorship and career and soft skills training.
$250 – Support one participant
Sponsors one participant for four months of mentorship and live training support.
$100 – Strengthen program delivery
Covers training materials and program support for one participant in the four-month mentorship program.
Why monthly giving is especially powerful
One-time donations help us deliver. Monthly donations help us plan.
Recurring support allows us to:
commit to covering course fees for each cohort
schedule training and support resources in advance
keep the program consistent for mentors and participants
spend less time fundraising and more time delivering impact
Even a modest monthly gift helps stabilize long-term opportunity.
This is how rebuilding begins
Rebuilding Gaza requires many forms of support. Education is one of the few that endures. Through mentorship, job readiness training, university courses, and sustained donor support, Wasla Connect is helping displaced Gazans reclaim agency, dignity, and possibility.
