When we founded Ahdaf we realised that we wanted to do more than just help students in need access higher education. We saw that we also had an opportunity to build and strengthen communities: the community is the foundation on which a vibrant and engaged civil society is built.

So we decided that every student Ahdaf supports must do something where they live which helps members of their community. We thought about some of the activities that might be helpful. Here’s a few of them:

• teaching English at a UN school
• helping establish a needlework group
• producing youth group video diaries
• providing computer coaching to children or retraining adults with new skills
• setting up a sports team
• a Nakba history project
• local land use documentation projects
• working with disabled people
• setting up youth theatre programmes
• running play sessions in orphanages
• helping to restore historic or religious buildings
• volunteering at local organisations
• running adult literacy groups
• planting a public garden

We want you to think about the types of activities you can establish, with no cost other than your time and enthusiasm. Strong projects should encourage partnership and relationship building within the local community. What will make a difference where you live?