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Our Theory of Change

Social innovation is nothing new to Palestine. Palestinians have found solutions in the midst of challenges everyday for the past 75 years of occupation. It is this inherent steadfastness and resilience of Palestinian culture that makes us certain that a liberated Palestinian future will be built by Palestinian changemakers. Our mission at BuildPalestine centers around supporting and uplifting those changemakers.

Due to restrictions imposed by the occupation and high dependence on international aid, Palestinian changemakers lack agency to build purposeful futures for their communities.

Our theory of change hinges on empowering Palestinian social entrepreneurs through direct training and cultivating funding sources that reduce dependence on traditional aid. We build and mobilize a global community to harness people power as a fuel source for genuine progress in Palestine.

By doing so, we aim to create a generation of thriving changemakers who drive inclusive, sovereign, and sustainable economic growth in Palestine.

Our Values

In 2024, we revised our organizational values. The process was motivating and grounded us in why we do what we do, especially in devastating times. These are the values of BuildPalestine–values that keep us motivated to BUILD.

B-BOLD

We challenge the status quo of the aid sector in Palestine, speaking truthfully about what works and what doesn’t. We advocate for strategies and partnerships that model a sustainable, dignified path for Palestinian progress.

U-UPLIFTING

We choose to practice hope and optimism for the future of the Palestinian people. We believe in identifying, uplifting, and accelerating grassroots changemakers who are making a positive impact in their communities.

I-INTEGRITY

We believe in forming alliances, partnerships, and coalitions with individuals and institutions who are not complicit in the suffering of the Palestinian people. We are an anti-normalization organization whose work feeds into the complete and total liberation of the Palestinian people.

L-LIBERATION

We value loyalty to the Palestinian cause in every decision to grow our impact. We believe Palestine’s future must be built on agency and self-determination, and we see our work as a way to cultivate liberation within our sphere of influence.

D-DYNAMIC

We are an agile organization readily willing to adapt to the situation on the ground for Palestinians. In times of catastrophe, we work to innovate new programs that address urgent needs, working within the parameters of our mission and values.

BuildPalestine Team & Board

BuildPalestine is headquartered in Ramallah, Palestine. Our core team is based in Palestine, Venezuela, Egypt, Oman, and the United States. We are supported by a global board.

Meet our Team

Executive Director & Cofounder

Lama Amr Ramallah, Palestine
Fellowship Program Manager

Riham Wahidi Ramallah, Palestine
Community Coordinator

Tasnim Khlaif Valencia, Venezuela
Rand Shomali
Finance & Administrative Coordinator

Rand Shomali Ramallah, Palestine
Anam Raheem
Partnerships & Communications Manager

Anam Raheem Washington, DC
Manar Jawabreh
Fellowship Program Coordinator

Manar Jawabreh Ramallah, Palestine
Mohammed Al Madhoun
Web Developer

Mohammed Al-Madhoun Muscat, Oman
Mahran Ismail
Designer

Mahran Ismail Ramallah, Palestine

Executive Director & Cofounder

Lama Amr

Lama is BuildPalestine’s Executive Director where she leads the organization’s initiatives to empower social entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. Lama has coached over 80 projects to raise $1M+ through crowdfunding. Under her leadership, BuildPalestine has become the central hub for social entrepreneurship in Palestine. Lama has also co-founded the Founder Institute chapter in Palestine, where 27 tech startups have graduated across five cohorts. With a strong passion for enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Lama is dedicated to strengthening opportunities for growth and social impact in the region.


Born and raised in Dura (outside of Hebron), Lama holds a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting from Birzeit University. In her personal life, she enjoys nature photography and video making.

Fellowship Program Manager

Riham Wahidi

Riham Wahidi brings over 10 years of experience across diverse sectors, specializing in ecosystem development, impact-driven business models, and program design. As Programs Manager at BuildPalestine, she is at the heart of creating the support systems that help social entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable, high-impact ventures. Riham designs and leads tailored programs that provide entrepreneurs with essential mentorship, resources, and strategic guidance while also building key partnerships with ESOs, civil society, and government to strengthen the broader ecosystem. Riham holds a degree in Business Administration from An-Najah University. Beyond work, Riham’s passion for fashion and therapy drives her belief in self-expression as a powerful tool for confidence and empowerment—one bold step at a time.

Community Coordinator

Tasnim Khlaif

Tasnim is BuildPalestine’s Community Coordinator, leading content creation and storytelling to highlight the organisation’s impact. With experience in content development, event coordination, and community engagement, she brings ideas to life through powerful visuals and narratives. She holds a degree in media and journalism from Birzeit University and is passionate about amplifying voices that often go unheard. Beyond work, her camera is always by her side, capturing untold stories of resilience, beauty, and defiance—whether in Palestine or anywhere else in the world.

Rand Shomali

Finance & Administrative Coordinator

Rand Shomali

Rand is BuildPalestine’s Financial and Administrative Coordinator, leading all financial and administrative operations to ensure efficiency, compliance, and sustainable growth. She manages budgeting, financial reporting, and operational processes to support the organization’s mission effectively. IIn addition to her internal role, Rand helps social entrepreneurs develop financial strategies, manage budgets, and ensure sustainability. She provides guidance on planning, reporting, and compliance, helping them strengthen their businesses and create a lasting impact. Before joining BuildPalestine, Rand gained valuable experience in compliance and audit at Deloitte, deepening her expertise in financial planning, reporting, and regulatory adherence. She holds a BA in Finance and Banking from Birzeit University.


Beyond work, Rand enjoys cooking, traveling, and exploring nature, whether through hiking or simply appreciating the outdoors.

Anam Raheem

Partnerships & Communications Manager

Anam Raheem

Anam leads and supports in areas including communications, partnership & program development, and strategic planning. Anam brings 10+ years of experience in the social innovation, job creation, and entrepreneurship sectors in the Arab region, most recently spending 5 years in Gaza working at Gaza Sky Geeks, a Google-backed tech accelerator. She holds a BA from Georgetown University. Outside of work, Anam loves yoga, creative writing, and being in nature. 

Manar Jawabreh

Fellowship Program Coordinator

Manar Jawabreh

Manar is a Program Coordinator at BuildPalestine, supporting the organization’s mission to empower Palestinian communities. She holds a BA in English Literature & Translation from Birzeit University and brings valuable experience in coordination, STEAM education, and community engagement from her previous roles at A.M Qattan Foundation and Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy. Manar has significantly contributed to enhancing and delivering educational and community-focused projects. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring music, engaging with art, and staying active.

Mohammed Al Madhoun

Web Developer

Mohammed Al-Madhoun

Mahran Ismail

Designer

Mahran Ismail

Meet our Advisory Board

Country Director at Alfanar Venture Philanthropy

Suha Abdul Rahim
Researcher

Nawras Ateeq
Executive Director, Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD)

Inès Abdel Razek 
Director of Nonprofits, American Muslim Community Foundation

Ola Mohamed
International Development Consultant

Rida Baidas

Country Director at Alfanar Venture Philanthropy

Suha Abdul Rahim

Suha Abdul Rahim is Alfanar’s Country Director for Jordan and Palestine. Having completed a Master’s in Electronic Engineering, Suha went on to pursue working in the retail sector, with over 10 years of experience and a focus on finance and strategy. Suha moved to Jordan to leverage her experience in the corporate sector and led operations for an NGO in Jordan and Lebanon. Highly passionate and driven to empower vulnerable communities, Suha joined Alfanar to combine her experience of the corporate and NGO sectors in order to develop and scale community-based enterprises committed to achieving financial independence and growing their community potential.

Researcher

Nawras Ateeq

Nawras is a researcher and expert in social entrepreneurship. She has worked in the development sector for over 5 years. During that time, she was mobilizing resources to support social entrepreneurs at different stages in Palestine, promoting the concept and supporting the SE ecosystem. Currently she is pursuing a PhD on the potential of social entrepreneurship in Palestine, dedicated to advancing the field. She firmly believes in the capacity of Palestinian social entrepreneurship to drive impactful change.

Executive Director, Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD)

Inès Abdel Razek 

Inès Abdel Razek is the Executive Director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD) and its digital platform Rabet, an independent Palestinian organization focusing on international mobilization and digital campaigning for Justice, Freedom and Equality. From 2019 to 2022, Inès was the Advocacy Director of the PIPD, helping to develop the political networks and international advocacy pillar of the organization. Prior to joining the PIPD, Inès held policy advisor positions in the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona, the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi and the Palestinian Prime Minister’s Office in Ramallah, where she advised executive leadership on international aid for development policies. Inès is also a board member of the social enterprise BuildPalestine, Advisory board member of Palestine DeepDive, and policy member at Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from Sciences-Po, Paris.

Director of Nonprofits, American Muslim Community Foundation

Ola Mohamed

As AMCF’s Director of Nonprofits, Ola’s mission is to support our community’s countless amazing causes. She is passionate about connecting with nonprofit leaders and providing programming and resources to uplift their visions for change and institutional sustainability. In her role at AMCF, Ola also helps manage AMCF’s hosted nonprofit endowments and is leading AMCF’s efforts to promote endowment building in American Muslim and ally nonprofits. Before her current role, Ola was the AMCF Nonprofits & Social Impact Fellow and then the Nonprofit Engagement Manager.


Prior to joining AMCF, Ola was an immigration attorney with the New York-based firm Aljijakli, Kosseff & Prendergast, LLC. Her work focused on asylum, family unification and humanitarian-based cases. Her asylum clients’ harrowing stories of persecution, along with their resilience, strength, and hope for a better future, inspired Ola to volunteer at various refugee organizations, write about refugee rights and advocate for holistic, human-centered support for displaced persons. Her pro bono efforts and legal training included work with the Karam Foundation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cairo, the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project (Proyecto Dilley) and the International Rescue Committee.


Ola lives in the Washington D.C. metro area with her husband and their three kids. She loves exploring nature with her kids (when it is warm!), shopping Muslim-owned businesses and sharing Arabic Montessori- and Waldorf-inspired ideas for young children.

International Development Consultant

Rida Baidas

Rida Baidas is an international development professional with more than 25 years’ experience in designing, managing, coordinating, and monitoring large scale projects funded by various international agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department for International Development (DFID), United Nation Development program (UNDP), the World Bank, the European Union, State Department and the German International Development agency (GIZ). 

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