Based in Palestine, Loris Tarazi works as a web developer while serving on the Board of the East Jerusalem YMCA, and representing young people globally as a Youth Board Representative with the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) through World YMCA. Since completing the Change Agent programme, her journey has been nothing short of transformative.
Returning from in-person gatherings, Loris was energized to create meaningful change at home. She launched the YMCA-Kids project, offering weekly activities that combined education, culture, and fun. Soon after, she became Summer Camp Director in Ramallah, where she learned to lead with resilience and creativity—even during the pandemic. Many of the children she once guided are now stepping into leadership themselves.
Her youth group went on to launch the Bring Green Project, distributing “green boxes” of seeds and seedlings to families in urban areas and later in refugee camps. For communities with limited green space, these boxes became a symbol of hope and a practical response to daily challenges. It was also the first project she wrote and secured funding for, proving the power of youth-led innovation.
The Change Agent programme gave Loris the confidence to step forward, embrace challenges, and connect with a global network of peers. As she puts it: “The YMCA is no longer just a place to play sports or plant trees—it is a diverse, global Movement, and through Change Agents it becomes a mission you carry within you.”
To donors, her message is clear: “Your support doesn’t just fund a programme—it cultivates entire gardens of leadership around the world, gardens that will keep growing and giving back for years to come.”