We fund programs, projects or products that aim to positively impact the lives of communities (children, youth, families, etc.) affected by conflict and war in the Middle East.
Refugee children live under unusual and difficult conditions with little or no access to technology that can improve their lives. With our innovative programs, we are reaching a wide range of children with groundbreaking technology that teach them literacy skills and improve their access to higher education.
Millions of refugee children are missing out on an education. Without an opportunity to learn, they risk becoming a lost generation with little chance for a better future. Through sustainable programs, our Fellows are working to ensure refugees can learn and develop the skills they need to succeed in life.
The development of the "whole child" from early childhood through adolescence is critical to long-term development and success of all children. Blossom Hill is committed to providing innovative initiatives for refugee children that will not only prepare them for learning and academic success, but empower them with life skills as they continue to live under difficult conditions.
For refugee youth whose education has been interrupted and ability to earn a livelihood undermined by war and conflict, the future is bleak. We are dedicated to empowering these youth to break from the cycle of poverty by offering innovative vocational training in computer skills, business entrepreneurship and language instruction.
Blossom Hill seeks passionate, committed individuals with innovative ideas about how to improve the lives of war-affected children from the Middle East.
A Fiscal sponsor must be a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. Fiscal sponsors will be required to agree to manage and disburse funds to the Fellow according to the terms of the project.
Dear Blossom Hill Family,
Blossom Hill has partnered with Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) to provide a science summer camp for 80 Afghan refugees and immigrants right here in New Haven, CT. The camp, which is still ongoing, uses the science curriculum created by our Fellow Erika Gillette for children between the ages of 4 and 13.
The children engaged in activities to learn about principles of magnetism and electricity through circuit testing, and principles of force and motion by experimenting with a balloon hovercraft and pom-pom catapult. Erika and I spent a few hours with them and were thrilled at their excitement in learning these science concepts. Their energy and enthusiasm were palpable and their determination to succeed was inspiring.
For these Afghan children who have been displaced from their home country less than a year ago, the opportunity to engage with other children and learn about science not only brings normalcy into their lives but a chance to be children again and just have some fun. We are grateful to IRIS for this partnership and look forward to collaborating on many more projects together.
Our programs would not be possible or sustainable without your support. It is your compassion and commitment to our cause that makes our work possible.
Thank you!
Dear Blossom Hill Family,
I just came back from a physically and emotionally draining but incredibly inspiring trip visiting our programs on the ground in Jordan.
My first stop was the Azraq Education and Community Center run by Blossom Hill Fellow Lexi Shereshewsky for refugees in rural South Azraq. Over three days, I heard stories from children, parents, and teachers alike about how our support has changed the very fabric of life in this small refugee town. In what is a desert enclave with the sun beating at 104 degrees, the center is its oasis.
It provides over 300 children, including the youngest preschoolers, access to our Montessori-inspired early childhood education and a K-10 academic enhancement program. But it is also the very lifeline to the entire community. Parents and community leaders gather at the center to brainstorm how they can further develop the economic infrastructure of their town and improve the lives of resettled refugees who are largely from Syria.
I also paid a visit to our programs in Amman where we run SuperGirls, a girls empowerment initiative, and Sports for All, which promotes social inclusion through the love of sports. The level of poverty and need is dire for refugees living in a big city and the challenges they face are that much harder. But the children in our programs are thriving and feeling positive about their future.
I came back with a clearer understanding of the daily challenges these children face, their dreams, and what they need in order to pursue them. I also saw up close just how much your impact matters. Without your support, these children would not be uplifted by the programs our Fellows are implementing.