Institution: Colorado College
Students: Tim Bruns and Will Harris
Title: Wadi Climbing: Rock Climb Palestine
Dates: June-August 2014
Country: Palestine
Idea
Our plan for peace is to lead and facilitate outdoor rock climbing trips for Palestinian youth (ages
12 to 17) from around the West Bank in the summer of 2014. Our goals are to increase
Palestinian youth’s interaction with the natural landscapes of Palestine as well as to leverage
climbing as a tool for teambuilding and trust-building among peers. Climbing offers a positive
outlet for energy and creativity. It is an alternative to inactivity that can lead towards unhealthy
lifestyles and the perpetuation of a stressful life under military occupation.
Background
This Project for Peace fits well into a larger social enterprise that we are building. The venture is
called Wadi Climbing and we are establishing the first-ever indoor rock climbing facility in
Palestine. With Wadi Climbing, we are addressing a harsh reality; there are few recreational
opportunities for Palestinian citizens and therefore few healthy outlets for creative energy. By
introducing a physically and mentally challenging sport, we are encouraging active, healthy
lifestyles for the people that use our gym. Wadi Climbing will be an inviting environment for the
Palestinian community to gather around a new, exciting sport. For more information about Wadi
Climbing, please visit www.wadiclimbing.com.
During our most recent trip to Palestine in January 2014, we met with businessmen and women,
entrepreneurs, students, gym owners, government officials, development agencies, and NGOs.
We found an overwhelmingly positive response to Wadi Climbing and a lot of support. We also
spent time rock climbing in Ein Ferra, Palestine and formulated ideas about how we could
engage kids in outdoor climbing while our larger social venture is in progress. At Ein Ferra, we
even invited some local kids from a village called Hizma to climb with us. Unfortunately, we did
not have the requisite equipment to accommodate the kids (our shoes did not fit them), but they
loved the experience of climbing nonetheless!
Co-Founders
Tim and Will, both Colorado College seniors, speak Arabic and are passionate rock climbers.
We spent time living and studying in Amman, Jordan where we were heavily involved in the
climbing community. We have climbed all over Jordan, in Lebanon, and in the Palestinian West
Bank. Wadi Climbing and this Project for Peace are the nexus of our passions.
In the past, Tim has led intensive backcountry trips for youth aged 12 to 15 in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire and in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. In the
summer of 2013, he worked at Seeds of Peace International Camp. Seeds of Peace brings youth
together from Israel and the Arab World to do conflict resolution in Maine. There, Tim worked
as a “Group Challenge” counselor where he led teambuilding exercises and group climbing
challenges on the ropes course. Tim is also a Wilderness First Responder.
Will is an accomplished athlete at Colorado College and the co-captain of the varsity lacrosse
team. He has extensive experience in leadership as a member of the President’s Council and the
president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
Tim and Will are planning to move to Ramallah permanently following their graduation from
Colorado College in May. Over the summer, they plan to continue with their work to make Wadi
Climbing and this Project for Peace a reality.
Details
We expect that with $10,000, we can lead five outdoor climbing trips and engage 15 kids on
each trip for a total of 75 kids over the course of the upcoming summer. Having worked with two
NGOs and a school in the region, we already have an established base from which we can attract
students. In fact, we have already begun planning with representatives from Tomorrow’s Youth
Organization (TYO) and The Friends School.
Upon learning that we are funded for a Project for Peace, we will order the requisite equipment
from climbing companies here in the U.S. (details in the budget). We will then ship the
equipment to a friend’s house in Israel where we will be able to pick it up this summer. Our trips
will be day trips on the weekend (Friday or Saturday in the Arab World). We will organize a
group of 15 kids and 2 chaperones through our contacts, Marwan Tarazi at The Friends School
and Jessica Dargiel at TYO. Marwan, an experienced rock climber and hiking leader, is excited
about accompanying us on the trips. We will rent a 20-person bus from one of the bus companies
that TYO trusts. The bus will transport us from Ramallah (30 min.) or Nablus (1.5 hours) to Ein
Ferra. Once there, Will and Tim will conduct some group challenge exercises and fun
icebreakers as well as an intensive, 1-hour safety orientation. We will teach the kids how to
properly put on a harness and helmet as well as how to behave around the climbing area. The
kids will have the chance to climb a number of introductory routes in Ein Ferra while being
monitored and belayed by Will and Tim. Snacks, water, and lunch will be provided. Throughout
the day, we will juxtapose climbing sessions with more team-building challenges.
These summer trips are only the beginning of a larger movement to encourage climbing and
outdoor activity that will be continued at Wadi Climbing. The potential for future impact is
substantial. The trips will not only have an immediate, positive impact on the 75 kids involved
but they will also promote the mission of Wadi Climbing. We will produce a series of videos that
we will post on our website to showcase our trips and to generate support for Wadi Climbing and
outdoor activity in the West Bank.
Safety
With rock climbing, safety is our number one priority. This means that we must have up-to-date
gear, certified belayers (Tim, Will, and Marwan), a competent safety orientation, a stocked
medical kit, and a certified Wilderness First Responder (Tim). However, our number one safety
measure is to reduce unsafe conditions. This means that we will inspect all routes before the
trips; climbers will undergo an orientation; and we will stick to established, beginner terrain.
Budget
Ropes
Harnesses
Belay Devices
Shoes
Chalk
Chalk Bags
Helmets
Medical Kits
Shipping
Bus
Transportation
Food/Water/
Snacks
Total
Expense
Cost/
Item
$120
$50
$30
$100
$10
$20
$50
$40
$600
Quantity
10
17
10
30
2
17
19
1
1
Total
Cost
$1,200
$850
$300
$3,000
$20
$340
$950
$40
$600
$200
5
$1,000
$15
100
$1,500
$9,800
Explanation of Expenses:
Our budget is based on our market
research conducted over the past four
months and during our trip in January.
Specifically, we worked with
Tomorrow’s Youth Organization to
understand the cost of renting a 20passenger bus for a day. With $10,000
we believe that we can support 5 trips
throughout the summer of 2014. This
means that we can offer a free day of
climbing and team building to 15 kids
per trip: 75 kids in all (20-person bus
minus the driver, Tim, Will, and two
chaperones). The rest of the budget is
based on standard costs of equipment
and shipping. The food, snack, and water
budget was calculated liberally to ensure
that we have enough to support our
participants. Living expenses are not
included in the budget because we will
be living in Ramallah permanently
starting in June.
After the summer climbing trips are
over, the climbing equipment will not go
to waste. We will be able to use the
leftover equipment in our gym once it
opens!
During our climbing presentation at The Friends School