Palestinian Pay It Forward Project
A PSSF university leadership competition creating a multiplying ripple effect of good deeds across the West Bank
About the Project
Building on the success of our previous edition, the Palestinian Pay It Forward Project represents PSSF's commitment to fostering a culture of kindness, responsibility, and social impact across Palestinian universities.
This competition empowers student leaders to design and implement community initiatives that create lasting positive change. By encouraging each beneficiary to help at least three others, we're creating an exponential ripple effect that transforms communities throughout the West Bank.
Objective
To spread good deeds and positive behaviors, creating a multiplying ripple effect where each act inspires further action, strengthening community bonds and developing student leadership capacity.
How It Works
A structured approach to creating sustainable community impact
Team Formation
Maximum 3 students per team from participating universities
Community Impact
Each team helps 100 - 200 individuals through their initiative
Ripple Effect
Each beneficiary encouraged to help at least 3 others
Competing Universities – 2026
Eight Palestinian universities participating in this year's competition
→
Initial Beneficiary
The Ripple Effect
How one act of kindness multiplies exponentially across communities
3 People
They Help
→
→
9 People
They Help
9 People
Impact
1 → 3 → 9 → 27 = 40 People Impacted
From one act of kindness, multiplied across just 3 generations
When each person helped by our teams commits to helping three others, the impact grows exponentially. From 100 individuals, we can reach over 900 people in just two generations of giving, creating a sustainable culture of kindness that continues long after the competition ends.
A balanced approach combining expert assessment and community voice
20%
Innovation & Implemtation
Creativity, execution quality, and resource management
Long Term Outcome
20%
Sustainability and continued positive impact
40%
Most Popular
Community engagement and public support
Evaluation Criteria
Spreading Good De
20%
Extent of ripple effect and encouraging others to help.
2026 Teams
Meet the 8 Participating Teams showcasing their innovative projects creating ripple effects across Palestine
Al Quds University
YOUthRIVING
Empowering Youth to Thrive
A holistic platform that equips Palestinian youth with mental health support, digital literacy, career skills, and mentorship to build resilience and lead positive change in their communities.
An Najah University
Atharuha
Her Impact, Shared
A storytelling and mentorship platform that highlights Palestinian women entrepreneurs and community leaders, amplifying their stories and connecting them with wider support.
Bethlehem University
Sight
Seeing the World through Sound
An AI-powered vision assistant that helps blind and low-vision Arabic speakers navigate daily life independently while building greater community understanding and inclusion.
Zaytuna University of Science and Technology
Touch of a Woman
From Skill to Sustainable Income
An initiative that helps women turn home-based skills into marketable products while creating job opportunities for youth in marketing and sales.
Al Khalil University
Safe Food Baskets
Safe Food & Stronger Homes
A hands-on program that equips women from low-income households with safe food preparation skills that improve family nutrition and create opportunities for home-based income.
Birzeit University
Sugar of Life
Growing Confidence with Diabetes
A holistic support program that helps children with Type 1 Diabetes build the knowledge, emotional resilience, and daily skills needed to manage their condition with confidence.
Palestine Polytechnic University
Chain of Kindness
Trio Impact Initiative: Turning Small Acts into Lasting Impact
A youth - led initiative that creates a ripple effect of giving through community exchange, skill - sharing, and acts of kindness, where every participant becomes part of a growing chain.
Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie (PTUK)
Basira Initiative
Restoring Childhood, Rebuilding Hope
A holistic support initiative that creates safe spaces for displaced children to heal, learn, and rebuild confidence through psychosocial care, education, and creative expression.
Voting Closes on May 02, 2026
Your voice matters. Public voting enhances visibility, drives community engagement, and ensures accountability by giving the broader Palestinian community a significant voice in recognizing impactful initiatives.
🗸 Competition Launch
🗸 Team Registration Opens
🗸 Team Selection Completed
March 1 – May 12, 2026
Phase 1
Preparation & Team Selection
March 1– 14, 2026
Phase 2
Current Phase
Community Engagment
March 15 – May 02, 2026
Competition Timeline
🗸 Teams Begin Projects
🗸 Public Voting Opens (March 8)
🗸 Mid-Project Check-in (April 1)
🗸 Public Voting Closes (May 2)
🗸 Final Reports Due (April 25)
Phase 3
Evaluation & Award Ceremony
May 03 – 12, 2026
🗸 Board Evaluation Period
🗸 Final Score Calculation
🗸 Winner Announcement (May 12, 2026)
🗸 PSSF Annual Convention - Bethlehem University
Recognizing excellence and impact
$5,000
2nd Place
Second highest score
$3,000
3rd Place
Third highest score
Winners announced at PSSF Annual Convention • May 12, 2026 • Bethlehem University
Award Categories
$10,000
1st Place
Highest combined score
Building a stronger, more connected Palestinian society
Increase Student Leadership
Developing practical leadership skills and social responsibility among university students
Greater University Vibility
Showcasing the positive contributions of Palestinian universities to their communities
Sustainable Ripple Effect
Creating lasting change that continues to spread long after the competition concludes
Expected Outcomes
Strengthened Culture of Good Deeds
Embedding kindness and mutual support into the fabric of Palestinian communities
Support the teams creating positive change across Palestine. Your vote helps determine which initiatives receive recognition and continued support.
Be a Part of the Ripple Effect
Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund -
Empowering students to create lasting positive change across Palestine.
Quick Links
© 2026 Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund. All rights reserved.
2026 Competition
Fostering a systematic culture of good deeds across Palestinian universities, empowering student leaders to create measurable community impact through initiatives that inspire exponential ripple effects of kindness and mutual support.
Contact
312-200-2723
Winner Announcement: To be Announced