A liberated Palestine will be built by Palestinian changemakers
PlayBuildPalestine was founded in 2016 in Palestine by Palestinians
We are on a mission to empower Palestinian changemakers and accelerate social enterprises. By mobilizing a global community to support locally-led initiatives, we reduce dependence on international aid and drive impact that enables genuine progress in Palestine.
Backing Bold Ideas:
Foras x BuildPalestine
Founded by Safaa Ayyad, 2021 BuildPalestine Fellow, Foras.ps is a platform dedicated to upskilling Palestinian youth and connecting them to career opportunities worldwide. During a time of catastrophic humanitarian, political, and economic crisis in Palestine leading to a 51% unemployment rate in 2024, Foras demonstrated resilience and strategic thinking that enabled their survival and growth.
With a €15,000 grant from BuildPalestine, Foras:
- Rehired three essential team members who had been laid off.
- Expanded their workforce by hiring five new employees to drive growth.
- Set a sales strategy that extended its reach to markets in Oman, Qatar, and the UAE.
- Since the launch of Foras, they have created 1354 job opportunities for Palestinian youth. In 2024 alone, 400 opportunities were created.
Palestine has one of the highest aid-per-capita in the world, but this aid keeps Palestinian progress beholden to foreign interests, and does not center Palestinian liberation as a core goal.
BuildPalestine Initiatives
Success equals impact
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social enterprises & initiatives supported across historic Palestine
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in financial support directed to Palestinian social enterpsies
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members in our global community
The BuildPalestine Model
Social entrepreneurship is a practice deeply rooted in Palestinian culture and heritage. The commitment to improving society through resourceful and collective efforts is an integral part of Palestinian identity.
However, this ethos was deeply affected after the Oslo Accords in 1993, when Palestine was flooded with international aid that prioritized foreign agendas over Palestinian priorities. Over time, this created a reality where Palestinians increasingly lack the agency to shape their own future.
Every seed needs the right conditions to grow. Changemakers are no different—they need financial resources, knowledge, and connections to turn their vision into reality. While these needs are universal, we are working to meet them in a way that protects Palestinian agency:
Funds – Free the Source!
We channel crowdfunding money and funding from non-complicit sources to support social enterprises, shielding them from external agendas. This is our greatest battle, and we fight it every day.
Knowledge – Mobilize the Crowd!
Our team’s business development expertise, combined with our network of mentors, helps upskill changemakers so they can move faster and with greater intention.
Connections – Harness Solidarity!
We link changemakers to key partnership opportunities, including fiscal sponsors who ease the process of receiving funds. We also help them access international markets, ensuring that selling products and services outside Palestine strengthens their sustainability within Palestine.
Whether it’s responding to the crisis in Gaza or supporting social entrepreneurs through their leadership journeys, we apply this formula across all our interventions.
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