Niva Kapliuk, Director, Yes I can! Program – Shaar

A summing up meeting was held toward the end of May to celebrate the outstanding encounter between hi-tech workers and Kommemiut and Neve Sarah schools' student participants in the Yes I Can! program. The program supports pupils challenged by learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders attending schools in the social periphery and recruits hi-tech workers interested in engaging in social action to study one or two school subjects with participating students throughout the school year. The ECI firm is one of the companies that partnered with Kol Israel Haverim for this program.

New relationships developed as a result of the joint study; the volunteers were impressed with the students' abilities and motivation and the schoolchildren were glad to be with the company's volunteers, who took time off from the competitive hi-tech world to help them with their schoolwork. The encounters introduce students to the hi-tech world and provide a sense that it is accessible to them as well; it helps them realize that it is worth their while to continue investing in their studies.

The event took place at the end of May this year. The students thanked the ECI volunteers who had studied with them, and the volunteers realized how fulfilling their contribution was - for themselves.