What makes LE.O unique is our lasting connection with our alumni. We continue to follow their successes long after graduation, offering guidance, support, and encouragement as they grow into leaders committed to serving their communities.
A report from Dia:
When a city is silenced by war, the question becomes: who dares to speak life back into its ruins?
Al-Yarmouk Camp, once a bustling refuge for over 160,000 Palestinian residents, was known as the “Capital of the Palestinian Diaspora.” But since 2012, it has endured near-total destruction due to prolonged siege, military conflict, and displacement. According to the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria (AGPS), more than 80% of the camp’s infrastructure has been destroyed, and over 90% of homes remain uninhabitable. Most schools and medical facilities lie in rubble, and fewer than 3,000 families have managed to return, many living without reliable electricity, potable water, or healthcare access.
Amid this devastation, Mohammad Diyaa Ammori, a UWC graduate and Bell Scholar pursuing International Development at York University in Canada, and Leonard Education Organization ( LE.O ) community member, he has emerged as one of the returning changemakers. Ammori co-founded a grassroots initiative focused on educational empowerment and community rehabilitation in Al-Yarmouk along with a team of likeminded young people.
His commitment began before setting foot back in Syria. In the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquake, Ammori organized a fundraising campaign within Toronto’s Syrian and Palestinian diaspora, raising $5,000 in humanitarian aid. Despite the challenges posed by restrictions and the absence of official financial transfer mechanisms into Syria, he successfully delivered assistance directly to families most impacted by the disaster.
In Yarmouk, his team established Lamset Ghaith—Arabic for “A Touch of Rain”—symbolizing mercy, relief, and the quiet power of small interventions. The initiative offers free training programs in language, digital skills, job readiness, and entrepreneurship, targeting women, youth, and returnees. Rooted in values of creativity, integrity, and equity, Lamset Ghaith is building capacity from the ground up, one workshop at a time.
A major breakthrough came in May 2025, when Ammori was instrumental in co-ordinating a visit with a German medical delegation from Cap Anamur Deutsche. The delegation toured Yarmouk’s health centers, assessed conditions firsthand, and pledged future cooperation and humanitarian support. This visit, the first of its kind in years, was co-facilitated with local partners including Basmat, I‘dad Foundation, and Lamset Ghaith, and served as a critical moment in renewing international attention to the crisis.
According to AGPS, more than 4,200 Palestinian residents of Yarmouk have died since the beginning of the conflict—due to shelling, starvation, medical neglect, and forced disappearance. These grim numbers underscore the urgency of local and international efforts to stabilize and revitalize the camp.
Ammori’s work reflects a broader truth: that return is not simply a physical act—it is a declaration of hope and responsibility. As he often says, “Rebuilding begins not with bricks, but with belief.”
But belief alone won’t sustain Yarmouk. Without coordinated support, international solidarity, and genuine investment in grassroots leadership, the future of the camp remains uncertain.
For further information about ways in which you can engage to support our initiative please feel free to reach out to me.
Mohammad Diyaa Ammori
E-mail: diaaammori@gmail.com