Salah El Sadi

Salah El Sadi, a Palestinian educator from Gaza, has dedicated over 18 years to transforming education in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Teaching science, chemistry, and entrepreneurship at Imam Shafie Vocational School, Salah has consistently gone above and beyond to create inclusive, innovative, and impact-driven learning experiences for students aged 14–19. 

Throughout his career, Salah has been recognized internationally for his exceptional contributions. He delivered a TEDx talk on sustainable lab practices and green education at Palestine University, was selected as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2023–2024), and led students to victory as Hult Prize Campus Director at Al-Azhar University in the AgriTech challenge. Salah also won the IGNITE Pitch Competition in Amsterdam, highlighting his ability to combine education with innovation. 

Salah has pioneered digital learning and entrepreneurship initiatives, including developing Gaza’s first Moodle-based e-learning platform, which empowered over 2,500 students, including youth with disabilities and marginalized communities. His teaching philosophy, “Learn, Solve, Transform,” emphasizes student-centered, experiential learning, where students develop real-world solutions to environmental and social challenges. 

Among his notable achievements is the award-winning Blue Filter Project, a sustainable plant-based water purification system co-developed with students. The initiative has provided clean water to over 10,000 people, serving as both a scientific breakthrough and an educational model replicated across schools and communities. 

Beyond the classroom, Salah trains teachers across the Middle East, Africa, and the U.S., sharing best practices in entrepreneurship, digital pedagogy, and inclusive teaching. He has collaborated with UNICEF, Fulbright, DVV International, Caritas France, the Ministry of Education, and NECC to mentor students and educators, focusing on climate education, life skills, and innovation. 

Salah’s work extends to community impact, where he has led mobile learning initiatives, after-school innovation clubs, and mentorship programs. He emphasizes global citizenship, embedding cross-cultural collaboration, digital literacy, and sustainable development goals into his curriculum, preparing students to thrive as ethical and socially responsible leaders in a globalized world. 

A TEDx speaker, global youth ambassador, and recipient of over 60 international awards, Salah El Sadi exemplifies the transformative power of education. His dedication demonstrates that teaching is not just about knowledge delivery—it is a mission to inspire hope, resilience, and innovation among the next generation.