The “STEAM PalHouse” project enters its second year by launching winter camps in both Ramallah and Bethlehem, in collaboration with Ramallah Basic Girls School and the Dheisheh Boys School No. 1. Plans are underway to expand activities soon to Tubas and Jenin, involving Jalamah High School for Boys and Tammun Second Basic School for Boys.
In Ramallah, the camp comprised of members of the STEAM club, 10 students who joined simply out of their interest in working on the project throughout the year, —along with 20 additional participants from outside the club. Running for five days, the camp offered students the opportunity to collaborate in building the club’s identity, choosing its name, and designing logos, thereby fostering a sense of belonging to the project. Sessions on Design Thinking were also held, focusing on identifying local issues and developing project ideas for future implementation.
The students gained valuable experience in teamwork and developed observational skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. They were also encouraged to pose thought-provoking questions and engage in hands-on activities in STEAM fields: science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. By the end of the camp, they had developed six small-scale projects, tackling challenges with creative solutions. Additionally, the camp provided an opportunity for students interested in STEAM to build new friendships within their school community.
As the 2025 STEAM programme unfolds, it draws on lessons learned from last year’s experiences and challenges, with an emphasis on establishing specialised STEAM clubs across various schools in the West Bank. Through these clubs, students will have the opportunity to develop project prototypes and raise public awareness about improving living conditions while proposing practical solutions to climate change challenges affecting their communities.
With a reflective and critical perspective, the programme embraces local “wisdom” in environmental stewardship, drawing on Palestinians’ rich cultural heritage in responding to climate change—particularly in the face of restricted access to natural resources due to Israeli occupation. It also draws inspiration from the resilience of Gaza residents, who have devised innovative energy solutions using basic materials in response to the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli blockade. Guided by these principles, the project aims to empower young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to strengthen their connection to their land and environment.
The project also expands on its earlier efforts by encouraging teachers to adopt an open-minded approach, engaging in a shared learning experience with their students. To this end, a networking and knowledge-sharing event was organised for the 2025 cohort of project teachers, alongside their predecessors who participated in the 2024 STEAM activities.
During this meeting, teachers reflected on the challenges and successes they faced and explored strategies for guiding students without direct intervention, allowing them to take ownership of the learning process. This approach empowers students to lead the project, share their learning with younger peers, and organise scientific camps and public events. Ultimately, this contributes to their professional growth and enhances their leadership skills within STEAM disciplines.
Dr. Nader Wahba, Director of the Education Unit, observes:
STEAM education fulfils a vision and philosophy tied to interdisciplinary, integrative learning, an approach that has been central to the programmes of the A.M. Qattan Foundation since its establishment. This educational pathway places the arts as a core pillar of STEAM. And this, too, aligns with the foundation’s broader vision of the critical role that arts and creative tools play in engaging with scientific and social issues.
Ultimately, the STEAM programme builds upon a long-standing tradition of science education within the foundation’s initiatives, which have varied in content and scope but have consistently prioritised reflection, experimentation, modelling, and hands-on fabrication within informal community learning settings. This approach, previously exemplified in the Science Studio, aims to cultivate a generation capable of scientific and creative thinking through science and technology.
The STEAM project continues this year in partnership with the Youth Thought Forum in Jenin and the Belgian Development Agency (ENABEL), with joint funding from the Belgian government.