A liberated palestine will be built by Palestinian changemakers
BuildPalestine 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 drive impact that will enable genuine progress in Palestine.
Why
Social Innovation?
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.
At BuildPalestine, we advocate for an alternative to traditional aid, one that directly empowers Palestinians to respond to the needs of their community in a more agile and resourceful way.
With over eight years of experience supporting social innovation across Palestine, we firmly believe that genuine progress in Palestine will be led by Palestinians.
Through collaborations with like-minded organizations, both in Palestine and around the world, our goal is to support the Palestinian changemakers who will build a liberated Palestine.
Mobilizing for Gaza
This unprecedented era of worldwide solidarity for Palestine is a critical time for BuildPalestine to bolster its presence and voice as a global community mobilizer. The ongoing genocide in Gaza has awakened the masses to the cause of Palestinian liberation, and sheds light on the interconnected political and economic systems that suppress genuine progress in Palestine.
In a time when so many people across the world are asking: “How can I support Palestine?” we are committed to steering resources to Palestinians on the ground who are best equipped to meet their communities’ needs and lead change.
Learn more about our initiatives and get involved!
BuildPalestine Fellowship
There are inspiring Palestinians tackling some of our community's most pressing challenges.
Each year we receive over 150 applications for our fellowship program and select the top 8-10 teams to join our fellowship program.
Over time, these people become our family. And we are fully committed to their success, mobilizing our community however we can to amplify their impact.
Under the Olive Tree
Do you wish you could plug into the social innovation scene in Palestine and meet these amazing changemakers?
Under the Olive Tree, our interactive membership platform, is a hub for supporters of Palestine to share and plug into initiatives that uplift and advance Palestinian progress.
For $12/month, you gain access to the leaders of Palestine’s social innovation scene, as well as an active community of allies and supporters around the world. Your membership fee is reinvested into BuildPalestine’s work to uplift and accelerate Palestinian social entrepreneurs. Through your support, we are able to step away from complicit funders and towards a model fueled by your active solidarity.
Latest Updates from Our Blog
Naviatx: a Palestinian Startup Helping Drivers Get Home Safely
Traffic accidents are as much of an issue in Palestine as they are elsewhere around the world. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, there were over 8,600 casualties in road traffic accidents in 2020, 110 of which were fatal. Meanwhile, traffic...
The sieged free space; meet 28 Magazine from Gaza
From growing up in an isolated community, to being the founder of the cultural 28 Magazine; this is the story of our inspiring fellow: Mahmoud Al Shaer. In 2013, Mahmoud founded 28 Magazine with a group of young Palestinian writers from Gaza and abroad. 28...
Social Innovation Bootcamp: Tackling Challenges in The Palestinian Health Sector
The Social Innovation Bootcamp is a 20 hour intensive bootcamp, run by BuildPalestine and uMake. The two day training uses a human-centered approach and leverages design thinking to guide social entrepreneurs through the stages of ‘inspiration, ideation, and...