ASO · Knowledge is Power
Almost a decade of turning asylum seekers into graduates.
ASO is run by asylum seekers, for asylum seekers. Four programs walk with our community from a high-school classroom all the way to an Israeli degree — and beyond.
Mission
ASO seeks to correct misconceptions of Israeli society about African asylum seekers by promoting understanding and cooperation between Israeli citizens and African asylum seekers through education programs and exchanges.
Vision
A future in which African students in Israel are recognized as bridge-builders — strengthening ties between Israeli society and their home communities through mutual respect, shared knowledge, and lasting personal connection. We envision a society where cooperation between Israelis and the students they welcome replaces misconception with understanding, and where the relationships formed today become the foundation for stronger social and cultural ties between Israel and the African continent for generations to come.
By the numbers
Every number here is a person who stayed in school.
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Years of higher education experience
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Students supported since 2017
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BA and MA graduates
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Teens in the mentor project
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Countries of origin
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Israeli colleges & universities
Teen Mentor Project
We will help you achieve your dreams.
TMP addresses school failure, closes information gaps and strengthens academic and vocational skills for youth from the African refugee community. In 2024, 41 youths took part, with 19 new prospects waiting.
What we run
Five programs, one path out of the information gap.
Youth · Grades 9–12 and graduates
Teen Mentor Project
Remedies school failure, closes information gaps and strengthens academic and vocational skills for youth from the African refugee community.
Academic readiness
English Preparatory Course
Intensive English speaking, writing and comprehension classes that prepare community members for academic study and the workplace.
Guidance · Advocacy
Support Center
A place to get help with registration, scholarships, visas, tuition and the day-to-day obstacles that stand between a student and a degree.
Livelihood · Culture
Cooking Project
Women from the community cook and share the food of their homelands, building income, confidence and a bridge to Israeli society.
Emergency response
October 7th Project
Community relief and mutual aid following October 7th, supporting asylum-seeking families affected by the war.
Success stories
Follow up with our achievements.
July 17, 2024
Success Story: Emmanuella Asiedu
Emmanuella Asiedu is a remarkable young woman from Ghana, who was born and raised in Holon, Israel. Despite growing up in Israel, life wasn’t always easy for Emmanuella. Her parents, originally from Ghana, faced…
July 17, 2024
Success Story: Heaven Alem
Twenty-two-year-old Heaven Alem from Eritrea arrived in Israel in 2018 with her family. She left her home country at such a young age that she barely remembers anything about her journey through Egypt into
July 17, 2024
Success Story: Ablel Welegbreal
Abel Welgbreal is a thirty-year-old from Eritrea. He got to Israel alone at a very young age in 2009. Based on a testing system he was taken by the Israeli government to a boarding school in Jerusalem. Abel was…
July 17, 2024
Success Story: Prefina Kahelekesa
Prefina Kahelekesa is from DR Congo and is 24 years old. She was born and raised in Israel, where her parents escaped the civil war from their country. She currently lives in Holon and completed her secondary education…
June 19, 2023
Success Story: Deborah Geresadik
Seventeen-year-old Deborah Geresadik was born in Eritrea and graduated from Bialik-Rogozin High School in Tel Aviv, in spring
May 28, 2023
Success Story: Yosen Avraham
My name is Yosen Avraham, I am 18 years old, and my country of origin is
Get involved
Do you want to contribute to our work?
Sponsor a degree, volunteer as an instructor, or open a door to a first job. Every contribution goes directly into a student's academic year.
Newsletter
Stay updated on our students and programs.