International Summer Camp
Lajee Center concluded its 22nd annual International Solidarity Camp with the participation of 13 international solidarity activists from different countries around the world. The camp lasted for two weeks and included a wide range of educational, cultural activities, and field tours aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of the Palestinian cause and their interaction with the local community.
The activities included visits to Aida Camp and Lajee Center, alongside tours of Dheisheh Camp and the Ibdaa Center, where the daily lives of refugees and the challenges they face were highlighted. Participants also visited Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights.
As part of the cultural tours, a trip to the old city of Hebron was organized, including visits to the Kuffiyeh factory and the glass and ceramics factory. Additionally, a tour in Jerusalem allowed participants to explore historical and heritage sites.
Educational activities were a key component of the camp, which included Arabic language lessons, documentary screenings such as “Jenin” and “Degrees of Incarceration.” In addition, lectures on crucial issues, such as the detention of martyrs’ bodies, were delivered by activist Azhar Abu Srour. Participants also had the opportunity to experience journalism through a meeting with freed journalist and former prisoner Muath Amarneh.
The tours included a visit to Ramallah, where participants learned about Defense for Children International (DCI), the Yasser Arafat Museum and Mausoleum, and Al-Haq organization, in addition to a virtual meeting with the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement. The activities also included visits to Balata Camp in Nablus and the Yafa Cultural Center, a tour of the old city of Nablus, and a visit to the Children’s Return Organization in Tulkarm, to witness the harsh conditions in the camp due to ongoing incursions.
Volunteering was an essential aspect of the camp, where participants engaged in various volunteer activities with children at Lajee Center. The activities also included desert camping, offering participants a unique cultural experience.
The camp concluded with a closing ceremony at Lajee Center, where participants expressed their appreciation for the enriching experience. The activities and initiatives that were carried out were reviewed, and participants shared their impressions of life in the camps and deepened their understanding of the Palestinian cause, reaffirming the importance of continued international solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Lajee Library
The Lajee Library organized two activities for a group of children with the volunteers of the international camp, including drawing, handicrafts, and other arts inside the center.
Two activities were held for the children inside the library. One activity was related to qualities that the child possesses, such as honesty, ambition, strength, and helping others. This was done by placing the name in the center of the paper and writing the qualities around it, then coloring them with the child’s favorite colors. There was interaction among the children to identify their personal qualities.
The second activity revolved around the sun, where the children learned information about the sun through the books in the library. Afterward, each child drew and colored the sun in their own unique way.
A discussion of a story titled “Very Bad Mood” took place, where the children talked about when they are in a bad mood and when they are in a good mood. The story was read and explained to them, followed by an art activity.
Another discussion was held on the story “A Snowball the Size of Our House,” and a related art activity was done.
Creative Writing
After the Children’s Summer Camp, a group was selected for creative writing. They were invited for a meeting to discuss the details and set a work plan with them.
A creative writing meeting was held, where the basics of writing and storytelling were discussed, and some ideas were exchanged with the group. The participants were encouraged to attempt writing a short story to discuss at the next meeting.
Protection Team
A meeting was held with the protection team to follow up on details with the Global Movement for the Defense of Children. The meeting focused on mechanisms for monitoring the status of Palestinian children’s rights.
Lajee Music Institute
The music program classes for all instruments have been running regularly, and it was agreed to conduct an evaluation and exam for all students at the beginning of September to assess the students’ progress in the program.
Choral rehearsals have also been regular, with a weekly two-hour session.
Health and Environmental Unit
- Repairing the greenhouses, cleaning them, and planting crops.
- Redistributing the harvested crops to patients after they grew healthily, such as tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers, and mint.
- Harvesting approximately 6 kg of produce that was distributed to patients.
- Producing 20 kg of tomatoes and 8 kg of cucumbers in the greenhouse of patient Yusra.
- Monitoring and inspecting the water towers distributed to 30 patients, adding fertilizer to the beds, and fixing some issues.
- Providing psychological support to patients under difficult circumstances.
- Planting crops in greenhouses, such as beans, cucumbers, cabbage, and cauliflower.
A meeting for the institutions benefiting from the Doria Feminist Fund Grants
On Thursday, August 8, 2024, a meeting was held at the Lajee Center in Aida Camp, Bethlehem, bringing together institutions that had benefited from the Doria Feminist Fund. Around 20 representatives from various organizations attended.
The event began with introductions and an icebreaker activity to foster a comfortable atmosphere for networking. The meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between the institutions to improve services for beneficiaries. Attendees shared updates on their respective projects, including community health, environmental initiatives, and creative educational programs. They also discussed the development of new initiatives like a therapy kindergarten and an online platform to document the stories of Palestinian elders.
Participants also viewed a short film produced with support from the Doria Fund, focusing on Palestine and the Nakba. Other projects presented included those aimed at empowering women economically, providing psychological and social support to vulnerable groups, and promoting children’s expression through art.
The meeting concluded with suggestions for future collaboration among the institutions to maximize the impact of their projects. The participants expressed gratitude to the Doria Feminist Fund for its support in facilitating these important initiatives.
Photos from the Dabke Unit
