Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders: Visits with Queen Rania Foundation, iLearn, Shoman Foundation and Haya Cultural Center
“Change is the end result of all true learning.”
My time in Jordan highlighted that it is critical to invest in cultural and social innovation to positively impact communities through education. Specifically, change we want to see in the world can be inspired through thought leadership, motivating communities to seek knowledge through a scholarship and arts.
I had the privilege of meeting with several organizations that have developed responses to the lack of educational opportunities and learning spaces in underserved communities in Jordan.
Queen Rania Foundation designs and implements innovative programs that address the root causes of education challenges in Jordan. QRF was established by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah in 2013 with the aim to improve opportunities for children and young people in Jordan so that they are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values that will allow them to excel in a fast-paced and competitive world. To learn more about Queen Rania Foundation, visit https://www.qrf.org/en.
iLearn, which started out of the most vulnerable areas in Jerash as an initiative in 2012, inspires positive behavioral change among young people through empowering local partners and the development of knowledge spaces that encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, intellectual growth, and critical thinking among children and youth. Saddam Sayyaleh and a group of young people who have experienced hardships and inequalities first-hand decided to come together to address some of these issues. The model assists at-risk children and youth to bridge a gap caused by the socio-economic and educational challenges and helps to address the weaknesses in underserved communities. To learn more about iLearn, visit https://ilearnjo.com/.
The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation believes in science for advancement, critical thinking as the key to progressive culture, and challenging your mind to think further. The organization creates the space and offer resources to celebrate talent, knowledge and affect change. This includes establishing the first computerized and fully-equipped public library in Jordan. To learn more about the Shoman Foundation, visit https://shoman.org/en/.
The Haya Cultural Center is a historic community space for the promotion of arts and culture among children and youth in Jordan. Established in 1976 by their late majesties King Hussein and Queen Alia Al Hussein, Haya Cultural Center consistently strives to empower young people not only for their individual development but also for the development of communities, of Jordan, and its place in the world. To learn more about Haya Cultural Center, visit https://www.hcc.jo/.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
I learned many key takeaways. One such takeaway is that it is essential to provide learning resources for all in a way that supports the overall educational journey. This means creating conducive environments for learning inside and outside of classrooms to offer resources for academic and experiential learning, increasing knowledge and achieving practical benefits for the individual learners who will subsequently positively impact their communities.
Another takeaway is to see education (particularly quality, thoughtful education) as the gateway to society's future success and prosperity. Enabling and promoting quality education in every locale — homes, schools, classrooms, sport groups, clubs and neighborhoods — leads to better outcomes for all of us because we will empower the next generation of world leaders to have skills, capacities and knowledge that would allow them to be contributors to solving societal problems.
A final takeaway is the importance of co-creating educational resources with the community - as opposed to creating programs that are then forced on the community. Community engagement leads to a self-sustainable approach to education that will leverage volunteers, parents, caregivers, teachers and neighbors to create positive and safe environments for children to learn, experiment, and express themselves freely.
