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From Learning to Leading
Hands-On AI & WordPress Training for Refugee Youth

2.6 Minutes
Gloria Al-Khalasa is a Communications Officer at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in Jordan. With a degree in Languages and Translation, she has experience in NGOs . She is multilingual, fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English and Italian, and also has a keen interest in photography and composing articles.
  Gloria Halasa
AI Workshop

The second session of the MiniSTEPNAU 2025 workshop took place on Friday, July 11, bringing together a focused group of refugee and local youth at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation MENA office in Amman. Led by Yemeni entrepreneur and STEPNAU 2023 Hackathon winner Maher Al Tiari, the training continued to offer practical digital skills with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning tailored to real needs.

Exploring the Digital Toolbox

After laying the groundwork in the first session, the focus this week shifted to exploration and practice. Participants tested a range of free platforms and tools designed for website creation and digital content development. They worked with WordPress—customizing layouts, adjusting themes, and experimenting with plug-ins—gaining a clear understanding of how to apply these tools to their own projects.

“We wanted participants to experiment with what’s out there,” Maher explained. “By introducing several free tools and focusing on WordPress, they now know what’s possible—and where to begin.”

AI Workshop

Practical Learning, Participant-Driven

The session encouraged participants to develop their own website concepts, with ongoing feedback from Maher and their peers. For many, this was their first experience creating something tangible online—a shift from passive learning to active problem-solving.

“I used to feel overwhelmed just thinking about building a website,” one participant said. “Now, I feel like I have a starting point—and the tools to move forward.”

Skills That Open Doors

This phase of the training was not just about learning a platform. It gave participants the chance to understand how digital tools can support income generation, personal projects, or future ventures. With accessible, no-cost resources at their fingertips, they’re learning to navigate the digital landscape in ways that are practical, adaptable, and grounded in real-life potential.

AI Workshop

Step by Step, Toward Sustainable Change

With two sessions remaining, MiniSTEPNAU 2025 is offering more than technical instruction—it is fostering confidence, independence, and a mindset of initiative among its participants. Under Maher’s guidance and with FNF’s sustained support for refugee-led entrepreneurship, the program illustrates how targeted, community-based learning can translate into long-term, transformative impact.