Last week, participants on the JNF UK Bedouin Academic Scholarship Programme volunteered at Al Sayyid High School. Al-Sayyid is a Bedouin village located in the Negev Desert between Arad and Be’er Sheva.

They planted trees and flowers, built fences and benches, laid grass and painted, all with the aim of making the school entrance and surroundings more welcoming.

As well as upgrading the run-down school yard, the volunteers also spoke with students at the school about fulfilling their dreams and the importance of higher education and completing national or military service in the IDF.

The JNF UK Bedouin Scholarship Programme was set up in 2016 to improve the rates at which Bedouin are completing higher education, which currently is very low at 10%. The programme encourages Bedouin students to become successful leaders and connect with the State of Israel. The programme offers 10 scholarships every year to students from the Negev Bedouin community, who have made a significant contribution to society and are in their first or second year of studies at Sapir college.

Each successful candidate receives a scholarship to help them through their studies and, as part of the scholarship participate in an enrichment programme and volunteering activities such as this one at the school.