Youth Publisher on Track to Professional Success

A talented youth discovers his true capacity and welcomes new opportunities

Abdullah Natour, 25, resides in Ras Alin. He earned Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Jerash, and though an architect by education, deep down he always wanted to be a visual storyteller, combining his love for design with his passion for telling stories. Doubtful about his capacities in graphic design and visual production, Abdullah referred to himself as a hobbyist designer.

In February 2019, Abdullah joined the USAID YouthPower project and became a facilitator for various learning activities. Following his engagement with the program, Abdullah joined the Filmmaking and Multimedia Learning Club, an informal community-based safe space where youth interested in developing their visual production skills gather to learn, collaborate, experiment and explore the opportunities of diving into the multimedia sector. Alongside his passionate peers, Abdullah participated in the Learning Club’s rich trainings on graphic design, photography and cinematography, all of which also provided valuable hands-on experience. In time, Abdullah’s self-perception changed:, “I discovered that my talent can open new doors to me, that perhaps this hobby is the key to my future,” he says.

Through the Learning Club, Abdullah provided graphic design support to his peers where he shined and felt encouraged to explore more opportunities offered by USAID YouthPower. Accordingly, and after partaking in the youth-led community engagement initiative design workshops, Abdullah designed an initiative entitled Dulab (“Closet” in English) which aims to revitalize the story publishing industry in Jordan. Through the Dulab initiative, Abdullah and his team of 14 companions aspire to produce 20 pictorial stories addressing diverse societal issues in creative and interactive ways. The stories will encourage youth to read, and learn about issues in their communities while attaining scenario-specific problem-solving skills. “I aim to promote for myself and the youth volunteers with me as service providers to schools, kindergartens and other educational institutions,” he says. Recently, Abdallah received an offer from a publishing house in UAE after they saw samples of the stories developed through his initiative.

Through the social entrepreneurship lens, youth like Abdullah see the relevance of their initiatives at a pace that exceeds their expectations. USAID YouthPower continues to provide support and motivate youth to engage with their communities productively with the agency to promote for themselves and peers alike.