Al-Quds University signed a cooperation agreement with the NGO Development Center (NDC) to implement the project “Sustainable Income for Youth through Freelancing and Economic Resilience” (NextGig), through the Jerusalem Center for Technology and Entrepreneurship (BCITE) and under the management of the NDC. The project’s funding comes within the framework of the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development, presented by the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), which the NDC won in 2022.
In his welcoming speech, Prof. Dr. Imad Abu Kishek emphasized the importance of this project as part of an integrated system the university is working on through the incubator, aiming to support the young men and women of the city of Jerusalem and equip them with practical and technical skills that enhance their opportunities in the labor market. He pointed out that the university implements a group of entrepreneurial initiatives and projects that contribute to strengthening the economic and social resilience of Jerusalemites, stating that empowering youth is a collective responsibility that requires the cooperation of national and international institutions, and that freelancing opens wide horizons for reaching global markets and achieving sustainable income.
For his part, the Director of the Jerusalem Center for Technology and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Radwan Qasrawi, explained that the incubator works continuously to serve the city of Jerusalem and support its people, with a special focus on supporting women and youth by providing an incubating environment for capacity building and enhancing access to the labor market. He added that the project adopts an integrated approach that links practical training with direct access to markets through mentoring, guidance, and interaction with clients, ensuring the transformation of skills into real economic opportunities, while praising the partnership with the NDC.
In turn, the Director of the NGO Development Center, Mr. Ghassan Kasabreh, praised the cooperation with Al-Quds University in implementing this project, confirming that it reflects a shared commitment to providing sustainable and inclusive economic opportunities for Palestinian youth. He noted that the project comes within the Prince Talal International Prize awarded to the NDC in recognition of its implementation of the Gaza Emergency “Cash for Work and Freelancing Support” project during the period 2018–2022. He explained that the prize value was allocated to implement a project that serves human development goals, particularly the eighth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals: “Decent Work and Economic Growth.”
The project will target 120 beneficiaries from various Palestinian areas, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, by providing financial support and an applied training program that contributes to developing digital skills, enhancing employment opportunities, building entrepreneurial capacities, and opening direct paths toward achieving sustainable income.
The project includes specialized training in high-demand digital fields including: mobile application development, artificial intelligence and data analysis, graphic design, digital marketing, video editing and motion graphics, in addition to accounting and account management.
It also includes the launch of the “Quds Lancer” platform, which is a Palestinian digital marketplace aimed at connecting qualified youth with local, regional, and international work opportunities, thereby enhancing the freelancing system and expanding access to sustainable income sources.
