Summary of the "GRIT" Project in Collaboration with Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology
The GRIT project is a six-year initiative running from 2019 to the end of 2025, implemented in partnership between the Lutheran World Federation and the Canadian Lutheran World Relief, with support from the Canadian government. The project aims to enhance gender responsiveness and inclusiveness in the vocational and technical education and training system in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to improve educational outcomes and increase employment opportunities for women, including those with disabilities.
Project Goals:
- Empowering Women and Integrating People with Disabilities: The project seeks to empower and support women and girls with disabilities by providing scholarships and integrating them into vocational and technical education programs. The focus is on enhancing their participation in technical fields to increase their employment opportunities.
- Enhancing Infrastructure: Laboratories and facilities at Hisham Hijjawi College have been improved and developed to better accommodate the needs of women, including those with disabilities, providing a comprehensive educational environment that supports their inclusion.
- Curriculum Development: Several curricula have been updated and developed in fields such as modern carpentry technology, cybersecurity, and smart systems to align with labor market requirements. The goal is to offer high-quality educational programs that prepare graduates for the demands of the modern workforce.
- Building Faculty Capacity: The project provides intensive training programs to develop the skills of the academic and administrative staff at the college, covering areas such as mental health, gender equality, and digital marketing skills. The training includes topics related to creating an inclusive educational environment that responds to the diverse needs of students.
- Community Awareness and Education: In addition to curriculum development and scholarships, the project organizes activities and workshops to raise awareness about the importance of integrating women and people with disabilities into technical education. This is done in collaboration with local women’s organizations to enhance the social and economic roles of women.
Key Activities and Initiatives:
- Professional Training and Specialized Courses: The college has organized training sessions in various fields as part of the project, such as entrepreneurship, digital marketing, information security, and computer networks. These courses target graduates from different technical disciplines.
- Support for Students with Disabilities: Scholarships and assistive devices have been provided to female students with disabilities, such as offering a laptop to a student in the graphic design program.
- Awareness-Raising Events: The college organizes events to raise awareness about the importance of vocational education and to encourage women to enroll in technical fields. These events also highlight success stories of women who have achieved milestones in these fields.
Partnership with Hisham Hijjawi College: Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology is a key partner in the implementation of the project, working in collaboration with the Lutheran Federation to develop its academic programs and infrastructure in line with the project’s objectives. The project reflects the college’s commitment to advancing vocational education for women and empowering them socially and economically by providing opportunities and scholarships.
In summary, the GRIT project represents an important step toward enhancing gender-responsive vocational education in Palestine, serving as a model for international and local collaboration to improve educational and employment opportunities for women and girls in technical fields.
News about GRIT project:
- As part of the GRIT project, Hisham Hijjawi College of Technology organizes a specialized training for its students on entrepreneurship and curriculum development.