This summer of 2010 was a busy one for us. We met new partners and reconnected with new friends. We expanded our work to the Askar refugee camp in Nablus. Below is a recap of our work. This summer Camp “I Have a Dream” reached over 120+ new youth.
Camp "I Have a Dream"
This year, Camp “I Have a Dream” came to the Askar, Azzeh, Dheisheh, and Jalazone Refugee camps in the cities of Nablus, Bethlehem, and Ramallah. The workshops sought to instill a sense of agency in youth and teach them non-violent expression, leadership skills, and career development. Many former campers served as camp counselors and some even returned for another session.
Highlights of the program included a presentation on “Youth Agency in Palestine,” led by Sa’ed Adel Atshan, a Soros Fellow, visiting professor at Birzeit University, and a Harvard Ph.D. Candidate. Sa’ed, a native of Ramallah, challenged camp participants to think about their future goals and what were important values in Palestinian society. He emphatically urged them to continue their education and studies.
Assirk Assaghir, a Palestinian circus, visited Askar refugee camp to teach participants juggling and somersaults. Other workshops included “Women’s Empowerment,” “Chess: Strategic Aims,” “Teamwork through Soccer,” “Model United Nations: Cooperation and Collaboration,” and “Hip Hop: Writing your own lyrics and performing song.” Each summer camp concluded with a graduation attended by parents and filled with dance, singing, and hip hop performances.
Partnering with Local Organizations
Our work this summer could not have been possible without the help of local organizations and volunteers. In Dheisheh, we worked with Naji Owdeh and the Phoenix Cultural Center. In Askar, we collaborated with Mrs. Salameh, Assistant Principal of the UNRWA school. We also worked closely with Abu Moaz, a village elder who also oversees construction projects, assists the local medical clinic, and creates curtains. In Jalazone, we teamed up with Hussam and his Al-Karamah Cultural Center. Numerous college students and graduates from the refugee camps assisted us including Bilal Afinde, Rafa, and Orabi Nawkleh. It was truly a team and community and effort.
Summer Service Program
This year marked the first annual Summer Service Program. This summer we sent 8 American college and graduate students for our 10-week summer internship program. The interns come from a variety of racial and religious backgrounds as well as undergraduate institutions including UC-Santa Barbara, MIT, Brown, and of the University Utah. You can meet them here. During this time they lived in refugee camps and worked at cultural centers in Nablus and Bethlehem. They taught English to youth, lead workshops in their individual fields. and assisted the cultural centers with capacity building. They also spent time developing Camp “I Have a Dream” and “Lead Palestine.”
Future Outlook
In the future, we seek to expand our work to additional refugee camps in the West Bank, including Al-Fawwar in Hebron. We’re in the process of developing and implementing “Lead Palestine,” a college preparatory course to assist youth with all aspects of the college application process: entrance exams, identifying scholarships, personal statements, admissions and matriculation. A college scholarship fund will match talented students with American donors willing to provide tuition assistance. In addition, we hope to bring Camp “I Have a Dream” to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. It’s going to be an exciting year for us. Check back to our website to learn about new updates, follow us at Twitter, look at our photo galleries, or donate!
