2012 Annual Report

2011/12 AnnuAl RepoRt

Letter From the Founder 1Our Story 2Letter From the Jordan Director 3History 4

Education 6Capacity Building 7Advocacy 8Mentoring 8

Social Entrepreneur of the Year 9Child Labor 10Partnerships 12New Initiative 14

Finance Report 16

IntroductIon

programs

year In revIew

numbers

Putting the last, first, makes a lot of sense these days

in the Middle East.

“I was caught in a bubble – nowhere to go, no way

to process what was going on within me, stuck in a

dead-end job as a dropout,” said Jabreel. “Then I met

Questscope – I got a 10th-grade certificate, learned how

to think about my life direction, and found good friends. I

completed vocational training, and am putting together

my career in automotive repair.”

The 15 people sitting in our circle talking on a balcony

outside my office at Questscope were former dropouts,

volunteer mentors, Questscope field staff (and me).

Electric. Opportunities opening up that were undreamed

of before. Going places. Open horizons.

“Social entrepreneurship and volunteerism are our two

major interests,” said Laith. “We believe that Arab youth can

make a difference, creating solutions to social problems

in ways that we never have before. We want to provide

information, inspiration, and push to get things rolling.”

The 10 people talking in our circle at a local Amman

coffee shop included 3 or 4 young PhDs (mostly in IT),

financial managers, and Questscope field staff (and

me). Also electric. Interaction undreamed of a year or

so ago. Going places. Open horizons.

Questscope is in the middle of a time of tremendous

change in the Arabic-speaking world. We have been at

the center of fostering transformation in personal

lives, institutional responses, and policy changes

for nearly 25 years. But this time is unusual –

never have the majority of Arabs been so

young and so ready for change.

We have unprecedented opportunities to bring the balcony-

(former)-dropout-crowd into relationship with the coffee-

shop-IT-crowd to integrate, to mainstream, to network – to

do all the things that will release the potential of youth at

both ends of the social-economic spectrum.

This is our world, the world of Questscope. Risk and

reward. Chance and change. This is a place we have been

in for two decades, and yet, it’s a new place, as the rules

of the game have evolved over the past year. You have

never been so important to Jabreel, to Laith, to us. Gifts

from individuals who are Questscope stakeholders now

make up 37% of our income, compared to 22% three

years ago. You are what gives us the staying power to

take up these unprecedented opportunities.

It has never been like this before. We are glad to be

here, now with you.

dr. curt rhodesfounder & InTernATIonAL dIrecTor

letteR FRom the FoundeR

Questscope 2011/12 Annual Report. For more information on Questscope, go to questscope.org. 12011/12 annual report

In our experience, to get to the bottom line, we must first get to the bottom of the coffee cup.

Here in the Middle East, major negotiations, life-changing deals, and serious conversations

all begin and end with a tiny and bitter cup of coffee. While the content of a meeting holds

the most weight, the coffee itself is also a matter of great significance. One bad cup can ruin

business. It can end blossoming relationships. The preparation of a perfect cup of coffee

requires time, attention, and practice. It requires patience.

For nearly 25 years, Questscope has patiently consumed cup after cup of coffee with

partners, parents, and young people, as we identify and accompany the region’s most

forgotten and marginalized. Though much care and attention is spent in preparing the

coffee itself, Questscope invests that and much more in relationships with each child and

community with whom we work.

Coffee is really about taking the time to build trust. We have worked in areas where it took

more than a year to move from coffee and conversation to planning and action. Very few

organizations include in their practices this kind of patience: recognizing how important all

those cups of coffee can be in accessing the deep and so often neglected realities of this

generation in Jordan and the Middle East.

Extreme patience has led to extremely solid relationships and a proven track record of

meaningful outcomes with marginalized communities, major institutions, and policymakers.

These relationships, cultivated in this way, continue to bear fruit. As our programs expand

across the region and beyond, we are confident that by paying close attention to what we

have learned, and being willing to consume as much caffeine as need be, we will create new

and deeper personal and professional bonds to transform lives and change the future for

young people.

Like many Jordanians, I grew up aware of but completely

detached from the “other world” in my own country. For

much of my life I assumed that the only way to help the

nameless, faceless poor of my country was to give money

to charity. I never knew their needs. I never communicated

with them. I never knew who exactly “they” were.

My years with Questscope have transformed me. When I

started as a part-time volunteer during college, it was my

first legitimate interaction with the people of this “other

world” that spun right alongside my own world, but had

always seemed so far away. Slowly, as I began to work

more closely with Questscope and the people we were

serving, I began to understand, little by little, how their

world—our world—really worked. I was overwhelmed by

what I learned, by the pressures they faced each day.

They did not have the luxury of opportunity, of choice.

Their windows had been closed by forces outside of their

control. I was shocked. Confused. None of those I met

were ever asked if they wanted to give up their chance.

As my involvement with Questscope deepened, my

personal transformation continued, and now, 13 years

later, my commitment to serve Jordan’s marginalized

is deeply tied to my commitment to serve Questscope

as an organization. I have been shaped and molded by

the work we do at Questscope. I am lucky to be able to

work and provide for my family from the same place

that holds such personal meaning and history and

that has, for nearly 25 years, been bringing formerly

separate worlds into the same space for mutual growth

and development.

It is with anticipation and excitement that we write the

next chapters of Questscope’s story with people we love

and serve.

Muthanna KhreisatJordan Country direCtor

letteR FRom the JoRdAn diRectoR

Our Story

32011/12 annual report2 questscope.org

Sabra & Sahtila Massacres in Beirut

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2012

Beginning of Lebanese

Civil War Israeli invasion of West Beirut

First Intifada in Palestinian

Territories

Jordan renounces all claims to the

West Bank territory

First Gulf War

Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty

signed

Coronation of King Abdullah II

of the Hashemite Kingdom

of Jordan

U.S. Invasion of Iraq

Israel-Lebanon War

First Palestinian Legislative Council

Elections since 1996

Arab Spring

Syrian conflict escalates, driving

many Syrians into Jordan

Dr. Rhodes moves to Lebanon, to work

at the American University of Beirut

Dr. Rhodes works at a triage clinic

during the Lebanese War

Dr. Rhodes moves to Jordan

QS starts street education

program

Mentoring program begins

Non-Formal Education

program begins

QS finishes mentoring program funded by the World Bank reaching more

than 3,000 children

QS provides mentoring and education for

over 1,800 Iraqis in Jordan

QS helps establish the

Syrian Society for Social

Development

Began education in emergency for Syrian children

and families

4,000 volunteer

mentors are trained

QS signs Memorandum of

Understanding with Jordanian Ministry of Education for the first GED curriculum for

dropouts

QS begins working with

more than 1,000 dropouts in Sudan

and Yemen

Dr. Rhodes is awarded Social Entrepreneur of the Year from the Schwab Foundation

Over 8,000 children are withdrawn or

prevented from child labor

questscope IS FOUNDED

Questscope (QS) launches its first

project - providing credit funds to rural women

QS begins offering support to handicapped adults in Damascus, Syria

History This is a brief timeline of Questscope’s history, along with events in the Middle East that

helped shape the ideology, strategy and programming of Questscope.


Questscope’s Non-Formal Education (NFE)

program was designed in collaboration

with Jordan’s Ministry of Education in

order to help the estimated 100,000 young

people who have dropped out of school.

After dropping out, children are unable to

rejoin the formal system and miss their

chance at a college education or vocational

opportunities. The NFE program is uniquely

designed to meet the specific needs of not

only each student, but also each community

in order to help them grow together. The

program is based on participation and

dialogue, which allows students to play an

active role in their education.

Questscope has education programs in Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen.

The success and effectiveness of Questscope is directly linked to the success of partnering

organizations. Questscope serves these partners by helping build their institutional capacity.

This relationship creates more sustainable and effective impact for the organization as

well as the thousands of individuals it serves. To enable partnering organizations’ success

Questscope focuses on several areas:

• Assistingettingtoknowtheirconstituents– helping organizations get to know the

people they serve and thus experience mutual benefit and learning.

• Developcapacityandcompetencyinstaff– training and development of teachers,

volunteers, mentors, etc.

• Buildconfidenceandcapacitytofundraise– coaching organizations in budgeting,

financial planning, and vision casting for long-term sustainability.

• Developabilitytomonitorandevaluate– creating tools and processes to track

implementation and assess impact.

Questscope has capacity building programs in Jordan, Syria, North Iraq, Sudan, and Yemen.

Capacity Building

Education6,566 students enrolled since 2005

1,562 new students in 2011/12

2,639 students enrolled in 2011/12partner

institutions in 2011/12

70 SCHOOLS

COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

NGO’S (e.g. Prison Fellowship International and Syrian Society for Social Development)

July 10, 2012

“For the past ten years, Prison Fellowship International has worked in close partnership with Questscope in the Middle East and North Africa region. Together with Questscope we have been able to develop close relationships with key leaders in the region who are concerned about the welfare of prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. We highly value Questscope as a reliable, responsive, and responsible partner that has been for us, a bridge between the people and cultures of the region.”

Ron Nikkel

President/CeO Of PrisOn fellOwshiP internatiOnal


Questscope’s role at a policy level is to advocate for disadvantaged youth. Advocacy serves

to prevent future marginalization and ensure that those who have fallen through the cracks

receive assistance and opportunities to reintegrate into their society. Advocacy also provides

accountability to ensure that programs are being implemented effectively, institutions are

fulfilling their roles, and disadvantaged youth are the primary beneficiaries.

With the partnership of Jordan’s Ministry of Education, 2011/2012 brought improved

educational and vocational opportunities for youth who had dropped out of school. Through

advocacy, Questscope continues to help create new pathways and second chances for young

people to contribute to their society and take ownership of their futures.

Questscope has advocacy programs in Jordan.

Questscope’s role-based mentoring program empowers marginalized youth. The underlying

approach is a pro-social community development model, where focus is placed on individual

transformation through individual, community, and institutional support.

During the one-year relationship, young adult mentors volunteer their time through structured,

one-on-one meetings with youth in need of support. A Questscope case manager draws in

professional resources from local community partners to enhance mentors’ abilities as they

partner with youth to help them develop life skills. The result: young people who are able to

make positive choices and be productive members of their communities.

The Questscope mentoring model is implemented in Jordan, North Iraq, Syria, and the US.

Advocacy

Mentoring

SociAl entRepReneuR oF the YeAR

Every year, the Schwab Foundation for Social

Entrepreneurship recognizes the most accomplished

social entrepreneurs from around the world. In 2011,

Questscope was honored to have the Founder and

International Director, Dr. Curt Rhodes, awarded

Social Entrepreneur of the Year for the Middle East

and North Africa.

Dr. Rhodes was chosen for the award based on the

following criteria:

• TransformativeSocialChange– using innovative

and practical approaches to address needs of

underserved populations

• OrganizationalSustainability– demonstrating

financial sustainability as well as a sustainable

business model and track record

• ProvenSocialand/orEnvironmentalImpact–

utilizing monitoring and evaluation systems to

measure and improve impact

• ReachandScope– expanding the work to other

settings in the country or internationally

• Scalability– demonstrating the adaptability and

openness to share with other regions of the world to

solve similar problems

Questscope is thrilled for Dr. Rhodes to join the Schwab

community of social entrepreneurs. It is an incredible

opportunity to learn and share with other people from

around the world who care about serving the underserved

and addressing the needs around them.

Ph

ot

o b

y N

ad

er

da

ou

d


One of the most significant issues facing

developing countries is child labor. In 2008,

there were more than 36,000 children

working in Jordan. Due to persistent poverty,

children are often required to find jobs to help

support their families. The International Labor

Organization says that children commonly

contribute 20 to 25% of the family income

in poor households.

Child labor is dangerous. Youth often work

excessive hours during a week that includes

both daytime and evening hours. There

are physical dangers due to lifting heavy

objects and working with materials such

as pesticides, chemicals, fire, and heavy

machinery.

A major consequence of child labor is its

negative impact on education. Many young

people who join the labor force end up

dropping out of school and therefore miss

out on not only their education, but also

crucial human development and opportunities

that contribute to their long-term success.

Work gets in the way of other activities

and experiences that are crucial for social,

emotional, and physical development.

In 2009, Questscope started a three

year project in partnership with the U.S.

Department of Labor and CHF to address

child labor in Jordan. The primary strategy

of the project was to combat the issue

through educational opportunities and

improvements. Questscope’s education

programs played a crucial role in the project

by providing alternative pathways for young

people caught in child labor who had

dropped out or were at risk of dropping out

of school.

In addition to education, Questscope facilitated

capacity building in 18 partnering, commu-

nity-based organizations and 36 schools by

training and developing teachers for work with

disadvantaged youth. These teachers not only

facilitated the learning experience for youth,

but were the primary recruiters, walking the

streets to find working young people and

invite them back into education.

While the child labor project formally ended

in 2012, Questscope remains committed

to serving young people who need other

alternatives.

Child Labor

156TEACHERStrained with Questscope methodology

90,720HOURSof educational investment

+

In three years, Questscope partnered with

18 COMMUNITY-BASEDORGANIZATIONS 36 SCHOOLS

REACHING

Project implemented in 8 Governorates in Jordan


The Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) has focused the energies and abilities of

Syrians of all ages and all walks of life on improving the circumstances of disadvantaged and

at-risk youth. Raising the visibility of disadvantaged youth, and increasing the capacity to assist

them with reintegration into society is a long-term concern of SSSD. Community volunteers and

local leaders have cooperated together in programs for alternative education, vocational training,

mentoring/volunteerism, and improving juvenile justice practices and understanding.

Expanding relationships and services to these young people is particularly important during the

current period of civil strife: Unexpected numbers of young people will need increasingly varied

kinds of assistance from a great number of volunteers as well as professionals and agencies.

SSSD is deeply embedded in the fabric of Syrian society, and is committed to increasing the

choices available to disadvantaged Syrian youth and improving their capacity to make those

choices. SSSD is committed to developing Syrian youth leadership through the transfer of

knowledge and the improvement of the practice of youth empowerment.

The best partnerships bring people and organizations

together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone.

Three years ago, the Syrian Society for Social Development

(SSSD) signed a partnership with the Syrian Ministry of

Social Affairs and Labor for rehabilitation and aftercare

programs at the Khalid bin al Waleed (KbW) juvenile

correctional center in Damascus. The success of this

cooperation today is a model for juvenile justice and

social development in the entire region.

Our ongoing partnership with Questscope – including

manuals, training, and guidance – for mentoring and

alternative education in the same juvenile center led to

unprecedented results in the lives of juveniles, their vol-

unteer mentors, and staff. The experience of Questscope

in Jordan was successfully expanded to Syria, and now

SSSD is further developing these models in the Syrian

context – a true example of knowledge transfer through

strong mutual partnerships.

In the current situation of civil conflict in Syria, the needs

overwhelm the resources of any single organization.

Partnerships are the key to effective outreach with com-

munities, for awareness of on-the-ground humanitarian

needs, and to knowing trustworthy people. This ensures

that those who need help, and those who can offer help,

can be linked.

In the Middle East region, Arab culture embraces hundreds

of communities that have different expressions of the

culture – language differences, food choices, clothing

preferences, religious heritage. Partnerships provide a way

for each community to accommodate change and thrive.

And for all these reasons, partnerships will always be an

essential element in Questscope’s work.

Roy Moussalliregional program consultant

letteR FRom the SSSd diRectoR

Art (320 hours)

Celebrations & Various Activities (1,597 hours)

Interactive Theatre Classes (370 hours)

Mentoring (2,739 hours)

Trainings & Workshops (4,927 hours)

Tutoring Classes (34 hours)

Volunteer Hours

9,987

SSSD

youth served 1,061 number of

volunteers 116 (112 are college students)


When I went to the Middle East for the first time in

2006, I had no idea how it would affect my thinking and,

ultimately, the trajectory of my life. Until then, I had

not seen an organization that could impact thousands

of marginalized people at an individual level and also

address the systemic issues those individuals face each

day that contribute to their marginalization. I returned

home with a renewed hope for the Middle East and a

vision for Questscope in the U.S.

A year ago, I began sharing a vision for a Questscope

mentoring program with school principals, teachers,

business leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who

would lend me an ear. People were intrigued at the idea

and taken aback by the fact that it was developed in the

Middle East. Each conversation built on the previous

with encouragement, excitement, and creative input.

Before long, the One2One Project was born.

The small team leading One2One is incredibly excited

to take the mentoring model that Questscope has

developed and implement it in public schools here in

the U.S. We have an opportunity to serve young people

in a unique way that is rooted in the core principles

and beliefs that have been foundational for Questscope

for nearly 25 years. In addition, colleges, community

leaders, organizations, and volunteers are rising up to

partner with us in this endeavor.

It is a dream come true for me to be able to serve young

people in the Middle East as well as my own community.

The wisdom, expertise, and experience of the Arab staff

have already proved invaluable to us as we seek to put

the last, first in Minneapolis.

StefanVanVoorstchIef operATIng offIcer

letteR FRom the coo

A growing number of American youth

deal with challenges associated with

poverty, homelessness, and broken social

structures. Many are caught in isolation,

addiction, violence, and dysfunctional

relationships. These challenges make it

increasingly difficult to succeed in school,

both academically and socially.

Questscope is implementing One2One to help

address these issues. The program engages

schools, along with nearby colleges and

community-based service organizations, to

make measurable improvements in the lives

of students through mentoring relationships

and access to outside resources. The pilot

program will begin in September of 2012,

with North View Junior High School in

Brooklyn Park, MN.

Through the program, a student and a

mentor will spend two hours together every

week from September through May, building

connection instead of separation and

fostering understanding instead of anger.

Ultimately, the goal is to provide a safe

space for students to share their lives and

be supported as they discover their unique

ability to contribute in their families,

schools, and communities.

NewInitiative

Brooklyn Park, MN

1 in 28 students at North View Junior High will be involved in One2One

27STUDENTS


Dr. Curt RhodesFOUNDER & INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR

Muthanna KhreisatJORDAN COUNTRY DIRECTOR

Stefan Van VoorstCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Roy MoussalliExECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SSSD

REGIONAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT

James Van CleaveREGIONAL FINANCIAL OFFICER

HRH Prince Firas bin Raad bin ZeidROYAL COURT, HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN

Dr. Dennis BojrabWAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

Dr. Shukri DavidPROVIDENCE HOSPITALS & MEDICAL CENTERS

Dr. Jim KielsmeierFOUNDER, NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Riad al KhouriDEVELOPMENT EQUITY ASSOCIATES INC.,

AMMAN AND WASHINGTON D.C.

Armond Habiby, Esq.KING FAISAL FOUNDATION, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Rick R. LittleFOUNDER & PRESIDENT,

IMAGINENATIONS GROUP & SILATECH

Dr. Mowafak Al YafiGRANT THORNTON

Individual Donors

Partner Organizations

Grants

Fees

Grants

In-Kind

$757,263

$75,644

$240,676

$119,141

$1,192,724

$627,070

$728,128

$1,355,198

unrestrIcted Income

restrIcted Income

UNRESTRICTED INCOME (47%)

RESTRICTED INCOME (53%)

Total Revenue

$2,547,922

PROGRAM EXPENSES (81%)

OTHER EXPENSES (19%)

Total Expenses

$2,997,742

Education & Mentoring

Capacity Building

Fundraising

Administration

$2,332,507

$102,265

$2,434,772

$177,672

$385,298

$562,970

program eXpenses

other eXpenses

This summary represents an unaudited consolidation of revenues and expenses of Questscope, Lts., a 501c3 organization incorporated in the

State of Illinois (uSA), and Questscope, a u.K. charity that conducts all its operations in the hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and other Middle east

countries. Questscope, Ltd. Accounts are audited by Mathieson Moyski celer and co., LLp, Wheaton, Illinois. operations of Questscope are audited

by Tom carolan and co., Ireland. copies of Audited accounts are available upon request from Questscope’s offices.

FinanceReport

eXecutIve staff

InternatIonal councIl

board of dIrectors

Paul Martin, Esq.LONDON, ENGLAND

Dr. David ZehnderHARBOR SPRINGS, MI

Dr. Imad LibbusST. PAUL, MN

Gunnar Klarr,BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE, MI

Terri HasdorffWASHINGTON, D.C.

Dr. Curt RhodesAMMAN, JORDAN

Dr. Thomas ReslerFRANKENMUTH, MI

Gordon ShirleyLONDON, ENGLAND

Vilma Qahoush TylerGENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Michelle ShirleyLONDON, ENGLAND

Executive Staff, Board of Directors & International Council

questscope.org

Partner Organizations

In-Kind

Individual Donors

Grants

Fees

21%

30%

37%

10%

2%2%

21%

22%41%

14%

29%

37%

26%

5% 3%

3-year Income-by-source

16 questscope.org

PO Box 2740

Minneapolis, MN 55402

unIted states

PO Box 2740

Minneapolis, MN 55402

202.368.0565 (office)

unIted KIngdom

7-8 Grays Inn Square

London

WC1R 5JQ, England

+44 (0) 2076.11.7988

mIddle east

PO Box 910729

Amman, Jordan 11191

+962.6.461.8951 (office)

+962.6.461.8952 (fax)

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Follow the new US mentoring initiative on Twitter@One2Oneproject

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Documents

2012 Annual Report