The convergence of crisis points over the past five years has exacerbated the already acute needs of Ethiopian immigrants. A deteriorating situation that could lead to the development of a permanent black underclass in Israel.

A critical step in catalyzing change and leading this community to full integration is creating transformative opportunities for young people to succeed. But within this population there are distinctive groups—and to ensure success, intervention must be specifically targeted to meet them ‘where they are.’

At an alarming rate, increasing numbers of youth, aged 15-18, have either failed or dropped out of school. In many cases, the parents of these youth are uneducated and become reliant on the youngsters, which adds an enormous amount of pressure. These teens, without any kind of support framework, often turn to life on the streets. This explains the dramatic rise in violence and delinquency; in alcohol and drug abuse. What is heartbreaking is that among these youth, lies potential buried under an avalanche of disadvantage.

On the other end of the spectrum are young adults, aged 20 -25, who arrive in Israel with some formal education and have significant potential, but simply do not have the resources and opportunities to advance themselves. For many of these young people, the formal educational setting is actually not the best pathway into productive adulthood. But whether guiding a dropout back into school; or, putting the confidence and tools in their hands to competitively enter the workplace or study at university, none of us can afford to give up on these young people.

Through a number of innovative intervention programs, at the Jewish Agency we are identifying motivated Ethiopian young adults and investing in their education. This is fundamental to ensuring that these young people get onto a level playing field where they can compete for both employment and higher education opportunities.

BACK ON TRACK

BACK ON TRACK is a work placement program for Ethiopian dropouts who are not enrolled in any type of educational framework. The program provides a proven pathway for getting them off the street and integrated into normative Israeli society through a holistic approach which includes:

• Focused vocational training

• Personal counseling

• Workshops on behavior in the workplace

• Job placement

• Liaising with employers

• Ongoing supervision and follow-up

This program is giving Ethiopian drop-outs a rare second chance; assisting them by giving them the confidence, tools and support to competitively enter the workforce.

KEDMA

Kedma: Moving Forward! Kedma is a Hebrew acronym for Promoting Personal Readiness; in both Amharic and Hebrew the word itself means progression and advancement. This year-long absorption program is a holistic approach to the integration of Ethiopian immigrants aged 20-25 that have completed at least five to seven years of studies in Ethiopia and have been living in Israel for approximately one year. While participating in KEDMA, students reside in a Jewish Agency absorption center participating in:

• An intensive, nine-month Hebrew ulpan.

• Study groups according to academic levels in order to facilitate individual achievement.

• Training programs and basic educational enrichment to prepare for professional training programs or further academic study.

• A total of 500 academic hours that includes mathematics, English and computers.

• Study of Israeli culture and society.

Student Authority Scholarships

Ethiopian immigrants who are determined to receive a higher education and build their future in Israel generally work to support themselves – and sometimes their families – while trying to excel in their studies and complete their degree. With support from the Jewish Agency, Student Authority Scholarships offer full tuition to Ethiopian students in need and a monthly living stipend to cover such basic expenses as rent and food. Scholarships also provide academic and personal counseling services and a range of cultural and social activities to ensure their complete integration and advancement. Ethiopian scholarship recipients give back to the community by volunteering with Ethiopian children at extended school programs to reduce the risk of high school dropouts.

For further information please contact: frd@jafi.org