CJPME is thrilled to announce that Ms. Malak El-Batroukh is the recipient of CJPME's 2022 Undergraduate Fellowship. CJPME is granting this award because of Ms. El-Batroukh impressive academic work exploring ways to engage Palestinian diaspora youth in Canada. The fellowship comes with a $1000 grant that Ms. El-Batroukh can use to support her ongoing efforts in this project.

Ms. El-Batroukh is currently finishing her studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON where she is earning a degree in Global Studies, with a specialization in International Development, and an option in Social Entrepreneurship.

In her final year of university studies, Ms. El-Batroukh launched a social entrepreneurship project with the vision to engage Palestinian-Canadian youth more fully in their ethnic heritage. Dubbed "Sporas" [scattered], her project will involve the launch of a platform to provides resources, educational live streams, and a common voice for the concerns of Palestinian diaspora youth. In developing the platform, Ms. El-Batroukh did extensive research into currently available cultural, historical, and educational resources in Canada and internationally, and how to incorporate them into a new youth-oriented platform.

"We have been particularly impressed with Malak's vision to find practical and highly accessible ways to enable Palestinian diaspora youth to connect more meaningfully with their communities," said CJPME President Thomas Woodley. As an organization, CJPME believes that by strengthening the Palestinian identify within Canada, the Palestinian Canadian community will be better able to establish enduring institutions to represent and advocate for the priorities of the community.

In addition to her studies and project work, Ms. El-Batroukh is president of the UW Students for Palestinian Rights group, as well as founder of the KW [Kitchener-Waterloo] Palestine Organization. Both groups have been extremely active in mobilizing students and community members to oppose Israel's apartheid practices against Palestinians.

CJPME was delighted to be able to support Ms. El-Batroukh's initiative, and is excited to see her research and efforts to engage Palestinian diaspora youth brought to fruition. CJPME believes her work will have important value moving forward, especially as it receives greater visibility and broadens community understanding.