Home > Who we serve > Youth empowerment and employability > Theodor Schneller School, Marka, Jordan

Theodor Schneller School, Marka, Jordan

Founded in 1959 by Hermann Schneller and graduates of the Schneller Orphanage in Jerusalem, which was established in 1860 as the “Syrian Orphanage,” the Theodor Schneller School in Marka, serves 270 impoverished children, including a boarding program for 90 students, in grades K-10. The boarding students are orphans, children from broken homes and refugee children. All of the day students reside in the Marka Palestinian refugee camp, which borders the school’s campus. All of these vulnerable children are welcomed, cared for, and offered an education.

Vocational education for upper school students is critically important for these young people whose economic options for the future are very limited. Schneller currently offers co-ed vocational programs in carpentry, auto body repair, culinary arts, hotel management, metalworking, and cosmetology.  

Services Provided

Residential education program for K-10 students who have been orphaned, displaced, or come from impoverished homes
  • Day school program for Palestinian refugee children
  • Vocational training in woodworking, weaving, hospitality and culinary arts, barbering, mosaics, and sewing
  • Psychosocial support services
  • A safe and caring home for 90 boarding students
The solar array at Schneller School is expected to save the school between $150,000 and $180,000 each year.

Your impact as an AFEDJ Donor

  • In 2018 the Harold C. Smith Foundation awarded $180,000 to Schneller School Renovations include bathrooms and kitchenettes in the dormitories as well as the renovation and equipping of a new science lab
  • Other major projects the foundation has funded include a new soccer field, a security wall, and classroom renovations.

Flickr Gallery

Theodor Schneller School Flickr Album
back to top