Aira Soon's Blog: ILAC Sponsors the 4th Annual Daughters for Life Foundation Gala

On May 25^th 2016 ILAC staff and pathway partners gathered to celebrate the 4^th annual Daughters for Life Foundation Gala. ILAC was this year’s premier host and sponsor for the event, marking their sixth year of partnership with the Daughters for Life Foundation.

The Daughters for Life Foundation believes lasting peace in the Middle East depends on empowering girls and young women through education. The foundation provides scholarships and awards for aspiring young women, which enables them to pursue studies otherwise inaccessible to them.

ILAC has donated over $200,000 in scholarship funds to the Daughters for Life foundation, and hosted two of the scholarship recipients at its Toronto campus. For Jonathan Kolber, ILAC’s Executive Director, the foundation’s goals resonate strongly with him.

“There is no greater gift than the gift of education. In Canada, many of us are blessed with the opportunity to pursue higher education. To give this opportunity to someone living in hardship has a huge positive impact on the world, more than you can imagine,” said Kolber.

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, the foundation’s creator, is inspired by the partnership and friendship that has grown over that last few years.

“ILAC is invested in the social and human impact of education. Their business is in helping others, and I am so proud and motivated by the good spirit and good will of ILAC’s directors, Jonathan Kolber and Ilan Cohen. They want to give back because they truly care,” said Dr. Abuelaish.

Jonathan Kolber and Dr. Abuelaish are currently discussing new initiatives between ILAC and Daughters for Life. One of their goals is to offer English education and University scholarships to young women currently living in refugee camps across the Middle East. They are hoping to provide these education opportunities to between 15 to 20 candidates over the next few years.

“The goal of our foundation, along with ILAC, is to transcend boarders,” said Dr. Abuelaish, “I believe we will represent the global values of Canada with this initiative.”

Jonathan Kolber said he is excited for ILAC’s partnership to continue to grow with the Daughters for Life foundation, as he has seen first hand the positive effects these scholarships have on the young women who receive them.

“Our graduates blossom. They’ve changed and grown, and can now give back to others and do great things. We can’t underestimate the power these woman have.”