Lajee Library:
3rd Cultural Return Competition
During the holy month of Ramadan, Lajee Center organized the 3rd Cultural Return Competition under the theme “Resistance to the Liquidation of the Refugee Issue”. The initiative aimed to strengthen awareness of the Palestinian refugee cause, highlight ongoing challenges, and reinforce national identity among youth.
The competition targeted participants aged 14–17 from Aida and Al-Azza camps and included 60 questions covering Palestinian history, geography, culture, national issues, and UNRWA-related topics. It was implemented through social media, allowing wide participation and interactive engagement. The initiative saw strong involvement from young participants, reflecting its success in promoting knowledge, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.
Illustrated Stories
Lajee Library completed a series of illustrated stories in collaboration between Lajee children and their drawing and creative writing teachers. The project is funded by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). The completed stories are:
- The Gate
- Just a Small Dot
- Cookies and Panda: A Big World in a Small World
- Zilobo: Trees at the Edge of the Camp
These works included two children’s stories and two youth stories, providing participants with a valuable opportunity to transform ideas into illustrated narratives and contribute to cultural storytelling and creative production.
Lajee Music Institute
Lajee Music Institute continued its structured program of individual and group training sessions, alongside ongoing music theory lessons for children. Weekly group violin sessions helped strengthen ensemble performance skills, while individual lessons provided personalized musical development.
This combination of training approaches contributed to improving students’ technical abilities, confidence, and artistic expression in a supportive learning environment.
Health Unit
The Health Unit continued its active community health services across both camps. The health workers conducted home visits for 174 patients with diabetes and hypertension, including coordinated visits with Dr. Mohammed Abu Srour. A total of 102 home visits were completed during the month.
Patients were also referred for HbA1c testing through UNRWA and private laboratories. All medical data was documented using the KOBO system under the supervision of Dr. Henry.
The clinic also hosted orthopedic specialist Dr. Bilal Malash as part of the visiting specialists program. Additional services included vitamin injections, IV medication administration, and blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring for patients.
Environmental Unit
Activities included caring for rooftop and indoor plants, maintaining greenery, and preparing planting materials.
Greenhouse development continued with the installation of new systems and increased planting capacity. Crops included cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, eggplants, sweet peppers, and hot peppers. Additionally, an NFT hydroponic system was introduced for leafy vegetable cultivation.
The unit also supported community greenhouses in the camps, assisting families with cultivation, fertilization, and agricultural guidance, strengthening local food production initiatives.
Rebel Circus School
The Circus School continued its training program during Ramadan, offering sessions in aerial skills, acrobatics, and juggling. Training was directed toward preparing a Ramadan performance; however, the show was cancelled due to security concerns to ensure the safety of students and families.
Despite this, training sessions continued, maintaining discipline, skill development, and artistic growth in a safe environment.
Lajee-Celtic Football Academy
March was a challenging month for the Lajee-Celtic Football Academy due to unstable security conditions, which affected scheduling and participation in training and competitions.
Despite this, the academy managed to conduct 22 training sessions, with adapted group sizes and increased frequency to ensure each player received at least two sessions weekly. The first team continued regular training with full adherence to safety procedures.
Competitions, including the Dorf of the Depopulated Villages League and the Al-Khader Ramadan Tournament, were suspended and will resume once conditions allow. The first team had previously achieved strong results, including first place in its group with nine points from three wins.
Boxing Unit
Boxing training continued regularly for youth, adolescents, and girls following Ramadan. The unit also began preparations for an upcoming trip to Italy, focusing on the physical and medical readiness of two young athletes, Bassem Darwish and Rebal Abu Akar, through intensive training at ACLAI-Palestine GYM.
