Reach Education Fund: Empowering Students and Transforming Communities

The Reach Education Fund is dedicated to providing opportunities and resources to students facing significant obstacles, enabling them to achieve their academic dreams and contribute positively to their communities. Through various initiatives and partnerships, the fund focuses on delivering quality education, support, and empowerment to disadvantaged students, particularly in areas affected by conflict and instability.

Mission and Objective

The core mission of the Reach Education Fund is to identify and support Palestinian high school students in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon who demonstrate exceptional character, drive, passion, and a commitment to making a positive impact on their communities and the world. The fund aims to give qualified students a chance for a brighter future, recognizing that education is a vital tool for ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity.

The Reach Education Fund also shares the objective of providing objective, rigorous, and applicable research that informs and improves school choice policy design and implementation to increase opportunities and outcomes for disadvantaged students.

Key Programs and Initiatives

The Reach Education Fund implements a range of programs designed to address the diverse needs of students, from early education to higher education and beyond. These programs include:

HEAL Palestine Education Programs

HEAL Palestine's Education Pillar ensures access to meaningful, high-quality learning for displaced and war-affected Palestinians. Through partnerships with schools, universities, and community organizations, they bridge learning gaps, offer scholarships, and build the skills that lead to stability, empowerment, and lasting recovery in Gaza and beyond. The programs and projects implemented by HEAL Palestine’s Education Pillar is supported by a team of Palestinian experts in the field of education, both inside of Gaza and in the diaspora. They play an instrumental advisory role in ensuring that our limited resources are employed in the most effective and impactful way possible to help support students and institutions serving Gaza’s youth.

HEAL School

The HEAL Palestine School in Gaza is a fully accredited, in-person education initiative established in partnership with the Ministry of Education (MoE-Ramallah). The school operates under national educational standards and issues official report cards, with HEAL assuming full responsibility for funding, staffing, operations, and management, while the MoE provides educational oversight, accreditation, and compliance. The model prioritizes safe learning environments, psychosocial support, and academic continuity for children affected by displacement and prolonged learning disruption.

Back to School Program

The HEAL Back to School Program is a foundational education initiative designed to address severe learning loss among young children in Gaza who have missed multiple years of formal schooling. In response to prolonged educational disruption affecting children aged 6 to 10, the program provides structured, in-person instruction focused on core skills in Arabic, Mathematics, and English. Through small class sizes and a level-based learning approach, the center creates a safe, supportive environment that reintroduces academic routines while integrating trauma-informed care.

Educational Supplies for TLSs

The Temporary Learning Center Support initiative provides essential educational supplies to students attending Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) across Gaza, where access to basic learning materials remains severely limited. Rising costs and prolonged economic hardship have left many families unable to afford notebooks, writing tools, calculators, and classroom essentials.

Al Shams Learning Center

The Al Shams Learning Center, managed by the Society for Care of the Handicapped in Gaza (SCHG), provides specialized educational and therapeutic services for children with disabilities. Serving 100 students across morning and evening shifts, the center offers individualized education plans, speech therapy, behavioral support, psychological counseling, and academic rehabilitation. The program emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to ensure that each child receives targeted instruction and comprehensive developmental support, fostering both academic and life skills.

HEAL x Axos Academy Scholarships

The HEAL x Axos Academy Scholarships provide employability-focused technical training for Gazan youth, targeting high-demand sectors such as Full Stack Development, Data Science, Machine Learning, and Software Quality Assurance. The program offers structured daytime bootcamps, blended learning with offline-ready tools, and optional learning hubs to overcome contextual constraints such as electricity, internet access, and mobility limitations. In addition to technical training, learners receive continuous career coaching, portfolio development, and employer engagement to ensure readiness for immediate employment opportunities.

Hope of Pyramids Initiative

The Hope of Pyramids Initiative is a community-driven education and wellbeing program supporting displaced Palestinian children from Gaza living in Egypt. Launched in response to the post-October 2023 displacement crisis, the program provides safe, centre-based learning spaces where children can regain structure, routine, and emotional stability. Through trauma-informed education, play, arts, and psychosocial support, the initiative prioritizes children’s wellbeing first, while maintaining continuity with the Palestinian curriculum. The program aims to restore a sense of normalcy, strengthen emotional resilience, and foster social connectedness among trauma-affected children and their families. The model has since expanded into multiple centres across Cairo, serving children in Grades 1 to 11 with multidisciplinary teams of teachers, counsellors, and facilitators. Additional expansion opportunities are being explored beyond Cairo, alongside investments in safeguarding, monitoring and evaluation, health screenings, and staff training to strengthen quality, sustainability, and long-term impact.

HEAL Writers Program

The HEAL Writers Program is a structured literary initiative supporting Palestinian youth and emerging writers through guided writing workshops that lead from creative expression to publication. The program provides accessible, workshop-based spaces where participants develop original Arabic short stories through practice, peer discussion, and editorial guidance. Rather than beginning with selective mentorship, the program emphasizes skill-building, completion, and inclusive participation, creating a clear and ethical pathway from writing to publication. The program aims to preserve Palestinian voices, stories, and cultural context while equipping young writers with the tools to produce publishable literary work. Participants progress through a phased process that includes story development, editorial review, ethical literary translation, and illustration, culminating in a collective anthology. By prioritizing original language, author ownership, and cultural integrity, the program creates a sustainable pipeline that elevates Palestinian narratives for both local and global audiences. The HEAL Writers Program is in active development, with its phased structure finalized and preparation underway to launch writing workshops for eligible participants. Editorial frameworks, translation standards, and publication pathways are being established to ensure quality, accountability, and long-term sustainability. The inaugural anthology will serve as the foundation for future cohorts and advanced writer development.

Egypt University Scholarship for Global Healing Students

Provides global healing students and siblings university scholarships for displaced Gazan students in Egypt. Aims to expand access to higher education among Global Healing youth and invest in future leaders who can contribute to rebuilding Gaza’s social and professional fabric.

HEAL Legacy Tawjihi Program

The HEALegacy Tawjihi Program supports displaced Palestinian 12th-grade students from Gaza living in Egypt by providing fully funded academic preparation for their final Tawjihi exams. Delivered in partnership with Network for Palestine, the program covers core subject lessons aligned with the Palestinian curriculum, taught by qualified displaced Gazan teachers at private learning centers in Cairo and surrounding areas. Alongside academic instruction, the program offers structured mentorship, leadership development, and individualized student support to ensure students are prepared both academically and personally for this critical stage. The program aims to remove financial barriers to education, strengthen academic performance, and prepare a new generation of Palestinian leaders.

REACH for Uganda

REACH for Uganda has transformed communities in rural Eastern Uganda by focusing on delivering quality education, accessible healthcare, and sustainable community development. The organization’s mission centers on uplifting some of the region’s poorest and most vulnerable areas, aiming to bring lasting positive change. Through a holistic approach that integrates education, healthcare, and community development initiatives, REACH actively enhances the quality of life for local residents. Engaging a dedicated network of volunteers and skilled professionals, REACH not only meets immediate needs but also empowers communities to become self-sustaining and vibrant.

Education Initiatives

The organization operates two model primary schools, serving nearly 1,000 students with a rigorous curriculum, extracurricular activities, and two meals a day. These schools consistently outperform local government-run schools, and REACH supports students through secondary and tertiary education with a scholarship program, enabling over 330 students to attend top schools and unlock future opportunities. REACH recently opened its own high school, as well, bringing much-needed quality secondary and vocational education to the region. REACH prioritizes gender equity, with 53% of its students being girls. Its efforts have significantly boosted female enrollment, and all girls who complete primary education pursue higher education.

Healthcare Initiatives

Healthcare is another key focus, with two clinics serving over 30,000 people annually, offering treatments for malaria, HIV, prenatal care, and more. These clinics also provide health education to communities. Additionally, REACH employs local community members, including alumni who became healthcare professionals, fostering sustainable development.

Reach Fellows Program

After all mentored seniors are accepted to multiple 4-year universities, we select 20% of them to become Reach Fellows. Reach Fellow scholarships are renewable for up to 5 years in college. In addition to funding, each Reach Fellow receives a personal college mentor who supports them through to a bachelor’s degree. These mentors provide guidance on transferring to a 4-year university, academics, self advocacy, study habits, finances, mental health, etc. Reach Fellows securing a professional job after graduating with their bachelor’s degree is one of the greatest measures of our foundation’s success. The Career Launch Team increases a student’s post graduation marketability with guidance on resumes, focused volunteering, internships and career planning.

Impact and Achievements

The Reach Education Fund has made a significant impact on the lives of students and communities it serves. By providing access to quality education, resources, and support, the fund has empowered students to overcome obstacles, achieve their academic goals, and contribute positively to their communities.

The organization’s commitment to gender equity is reflected in the high percentage of female students enrolled in its programs. REACH prioritizes gender equity, with 53% of its students being girls. Its efforts have significantly boosted female enrollment, and all girls who complete primary education pursue higher education.

How to Get Involved

The public can get involved with the Reach Education Fund in various ways, including:

Donating: Financial contributions support the fund's programs and initiatives, providing resources for students and communities in need.
Sponsoring a student: Sponsoring a student’s education and change their life forever.
Volunteering: Enlist your entire team or department to mentor a student one hour a week.
Company Matching Gifts

Financial Information and Transparency

Reach Education Fund is committed to financial transparency and accountability.

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