GAWA's Jordanian Women's Education Initiative creates a transformative learning environment designed to empower Jordanian women through academic excellence, leadership development, and cultural preservation. We operate specialized programs for Jordanian women and girls in NY, focusing on bridging educational gaps while honoring Arab traditions. Our team of Jordanian educators, female mentors, and cultural advisors work closely with schools, families, and community leaders to provide tailored educational support and career guidance.
Signature Programs
Adventures in Peace Keeping
is a cultural diversity effort that fosters appreciation of difference, models healthy conflict resolution strategies and promotes civic engagement in the school community.
Gardening Project
combines science education and healthy eating habits. Throughout the program year students learn botany, life and environmental sciences, nutritional sciences and develop culinary skills using fresh produce from the gardens.
Everyday Heroes
enables students to explore what it means to be a hero, encourages mindfulness and self-expression through meditation and theater, and engages them in age-appropriate discussions of race and racism, self-empowerment, and service to one’s community.
Program Goals
Foster social & emotional competencies and physical well-being.
Students learn how to identify and manage their emotions and resolve conflict through our youth development programming, while staff intentionally models appropriate behavior.
Provide opportunities for youth to explore their interests and creativity.
Students participate in a variety of hands-on, experiential and creative, project-based learning activities. The YW also conducts field trips to cultural, educational and sporting events that broaden the students’ perspectives and self-concept.
Build skills that support academic achievement.
Aligned with the New York State Common Core standards, our STEM and Literacy activities support the development of critical thinking, academic competency and other cognitive skills. Additionally, college and career exposure promotes college bound habits and sparks children’s imaginations.
Cultivate youth leadership and community engagement.
Student feedback about program activities forms a critical component of our program planning process. Students’ leadership skills also emerge as they learn how to collaborate with one another as they complete projects.
Engage parents and other caretakers to support OST goals.
The YWCA NYC has an open door policy that welcomes families. Parents are partners in encouraging and supporting the core outcomes of after-school programming. Parents are encouraged to contribute ideas, volunteer and attend program events including student performances and events that foster positive interaction between students and their families. Parents have access to youth development specialists during workshops. In addition to hosting new family orientations and other parent information exchange sessions, program leadership is available to address parents’ inquiries and concerns related to after school services.
Program Sites
Thank You To Our OST Sponsors & Partners!
A special thank you to each of our School Sites for providing us the space and the partnership to make an impact in our communities. Thank you to our community partners, funders and sponsors; your help makes our work possible.
