Global communities newsletter

Stories from the Field

Summer 2013

West Bank & Gaza

Partners in Progress

The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the

United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

3Partners in Progress - Stories from the field - Summer 2013

Over our almost 20 years of working hand in hand with local communities, we have always recognized the critical

role youth can play in creating a better Palestine. Because of this, our programs and initiatives have consistently

focused on including and empowering youth whether through community planning initiatives, leading civic

engagement activities, or preparing youth for the workforce and their future leadership role of their communities

and nation.

I recently had the pleasure of attending an event sponsored by the Youth Shadow Local Council (YSLC) in Jericho

under our Local Government & Infrastructure (LGI) program funded by USAID and implemented in partnership

with “Sharek Youth Forum”. Youth in Jericho have shown incredible leadership in identifying their communities’

priority needs, implementing local initiatives and connecting citizens with their local government, and on that

day, they led us on a tour of historical sites in Jericho with the aim of preserving and raising awareness about

our shared Palestinian heritage. I returned to the office feeling invigorated, refreshed, and most importantly 10

years younger. Their energy, innovation, and commitment proved truly remarkable; they make us incredibly proud

to provide continuing support to 17 such YSLCs under LGI with funding from USAID. Now we are seeing the

methodology for YSLCs spread to other communities working with support from local organizations and other

donors, demonstrating the success and replicability of the initiative.

In addition to supporting civic participation by and good governance concepts among youth, we have worked

over the past five years to prepare young engineers for the Palestinian job market. Recent graduates are often

stuck between needing past work experience to get a job and needing a job in order to get work experience. To

help them overcome this catch-22, we introduced the Engineering Fellows program under the Emergency Jobs

YOUTH LEADERSHIP:Towards a Brighter Palestinian Future

Young Palestinian Leaders: Members of the Bir Zeit municipality Youth Shadow Local Council

4 Partners in Progress - Stories from the field - Summer 2013

Program funded by USAID and now continuing as part of the LGI program in partnership with the Engineers

Association – Jerusalem Center. To date, under both programs we have provided on-the-job training and work

experience for about 200 young engineers - 96 of which were trained under the ongoing LGI program - who were

placed at Global Communities’ infrastructure project sites, the Engineers Association, or local municipalities. As

an engineer myself who faced the same challenges upon returning to Palestine to begin my career, I love seeing

the fellows with us in the office or at the project sites and recognize the importance of this first work experience

in setting their career path moving forward. Working with us, they recognize that engineering is not just about

building something but about the social impact it can have. They have helped us build schools, youth clubs,

clinics, and roads across the country and bring new knowledge, innovative ideas and skills in various technologies,

including 3D designs that are extremely helpful to our team.

In this edition of our newsletter, you will read more about the individual stories of youth in our programs and how

they are contributing to a better Palestine. It is because of their energy and spirit that we continue to see the return

on our investment in youth and remain committed to supporting them through our various programs in the future.

As our organization continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of Palestinian youth, we are proud to do

so under our new name - Global Communities: Partners for Good. While we are the same people with the same

values that you have come to know, this new name better reflects our approach, in working with communities

and creating long lasting partnerships. Our mission remains to be a catalyst for positive and sustainable change in

Palestinian communities and we believe the actors of change are and will continue to be the youth of this country

and the region. As an international organization, our role is to help Palestinians achieve their articulated vision for

a state that is an equal member of the global community, democratic, based on good governance principles, able

to meet the needs of its citizens and support the aspirations of its people for sustainable peace and development.

Lana Abu Hijleh

Global Communities West Bank & Gaza Country Director


Since the early 1990s, Global Communities has been working in the West Bank & Gaza under the name CHF

International. As times change, we must evolve and adapt to the changing realities on the ground, adjusting

existing approaches and adopting new ones to effectively meet the needs of the communities we serve. In this

spirit, we are changing our name to Global Communities: Partners for Good to better reflect our central approach

and the values that define the work that we do.

While we have completed numerous successful projects under the name CHF International and have earned great

name recognition, this heading no longer adequately communicates our vision. Global Communities: Partners for

Good better describes our heritage as defined by our central approach to development work, which is based on

building lasting partnerships with local communities and supporting them in achieving their goals as they define

them.

Global CommunitiesDevelopment is not something we do for people; it is something we do with them, stressing community participation

in and ownership of our projects. Central to our approach is the belief that the people who best understand

the needs of a community are the people of that community itself. To this end we engage directly with those

communities through their governments, NGOs and the private sector by– bringing together complementary

strengths and shared responsibilities to work toward common goals. It is this ability to foster relationships that

put people of the community at the forefront of their own development that sets us apart and distinguishes our

collective work.

Partners for Good:Our new tagline “Partners for Good” sums up the single organizing idea around which we build our partnerships.

Together with our partners that represent the communities we work in, we strive to support these communities to

effect positive changes in the lives of those most vulnerable, while ensuring the longevity of the partnerships that

we create.

Moving Forward, Building on a Successful Heritage:While our name may change, our central values and our community-based approach will remain the same and

we hope to continue to build on our past successes, cultivating our existing partnerships as well forging new

ones to best meet the needs of the Palestinian people and help them to achieve their stated goal of a responsive,

democratic state able to meet the needs of its people through good governance practices.

We remain proud of our heritage and excited to move forward under our new name Global Communities: Partners

for Good continuing to work toward a brighter future for the Palestinian people.

CHF INTERNATIONAL IS BECOMING

GLOBAL COMMUNITIES... PARTNERS FOR GOOD


Though youth constitute an overwhelming majority in the

West Bank & Gaza (65% of the population is between

13-38 years old), there have been few opportunities

for them to engage in community affairs and local

governance. In response, CHF piloted the Youth

Shadow Local Council initiative in four communities in

2008 in partnership with a local organization, Al-Mawrid

with funding from USAID. After the success of the

pilot, Global Communities expanded to an additional

nine communities with local partner, the Sharek Youth

Forum (Sharek) in 2010 under the USAID-funded Local

Democratic Reform program. The initiative continues

now under the USAID-funded Local Government &

Infrastructure program and will expand to an additional

seven communities in 2013, for a total of 20 target

communities.

Youth Shadow Local Councils (YSLCs) are democratically

elected bodies made up of 11-15 members aged 15-22.

The council mirrors the elected local government unit

(LGU, or municipality) in its size and formation. Working

in partnership with the municipality, the purpose of the

YSLC is to sensitize youth to good governance practices

and give them an opportunity to take a leadership

role in their community. Through constant coaching

and mentoring, CHF and Sharek support youth in the

following phases:

1. Establishing General Assemblies in each

Municipality: As of April 2013, the initiative

has registered 28 General Assemblies in 15

municipalities. Over 8,000 Palestinian youth

from across the West Bank have registered in

their respective General Assembly and have the

opportunity to vote for their council members.

2. Campaigning and Outreach to Voters: Any eligible General Assembly member can run for a seat on the

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

IN THE WEST BANK & GAZA


council. Global Communities and Sharek train youth on how to campaign, speak to voters, and develop

platforms, and support local debates among candidates.

3. Holding Democratic Elections and Forming the Council: In partnership with the municipality, Global

Communities and Sharek facilitate the election process, recruit and train young election monitors, and ensure

a democratic, transparent process. Once the results are in, the municipality certifies the elections and the

council is formed, which includes key positions (Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Treasurer, and Secretary) mirroring the

actual local council. The initiative has now completed 28 certified elections resulting in the election of over

300 council members.

4. Leadership & Skills Development: Once elected, youth are trained in a variety of skills, including project

management, advocacy, and gender equality, thus preparing this cadre of young leaders for their new

positions.

5. Establishing Local Partnerships and Alliances: The Council then activates the General Assembly

to engage with the municipality, civil society organizations, and local partners. This gives the council an

understanding of what is needed in their community, and what initiatives they could focus on, and establishes

local partnerships.

6. Supporting Youth-Led Local Activities: The hard work of the Councils is implementing what have now

totaled hundreds of local initiatives and activities impacting local communities. In close partnership with the

municipality and local organizations, some previous initiatives have included beautifying parks and roads,

career fairs, safety and traffic campaigns, and fundraising for local organizations.

In Idhna, the police partnered with the YSLC in a campaign to halt factory and industrial waste pollution. As a result

of the YSLC’s effort, the police in Idhna are now fining residents who, when burning scrap metal, produce heavy

smoke that pollutes Idhna and the surrounding villages.

In Jericho, the YSLC has been raising money for local organizations focused on supporting persons with disabilities

by sponsoring local walkathons and bike-a-thons. In Jericho, youth have also tried to address unemployment

challenges by working with the private sector to hold career fairs.

Photos (left to right): Career fair in Jericho, beautification in Anabta and Food distribution


Perhaps most impressive, a former YSLC member from At

Tayba, Yaqoub Marouf, 25, was elected to the village’s

local council in 2012, demonstrating that YSLC leaders

can transition into council leaders. He is now the youngest

person ever to be elected to the At Tayba Municipal

Council. His political career began in 2010 when he was

first elected to the At Tayba Youth Shadow Local Council,

a democratically elected youth body that emulates the

actual local council in their community. Reflecting on his

current position with the local council, Yacoub told CHF,

“I wouldn’t have become a local council member if not for the YSLC initiative in At Tayba village… The skills, tools and recognition I gained as a youth shadow council member enabled me to become a municipal council member, and I will ensure that I voice youth needs and work on unemployment issues as long as I’m a council member.”

In Anabta, the YSLC partnered with Global

Communities and the World Food Programme to

provide much needed food assistance to residents

following the heaviest rain storms in the area in

the past 30 years. In addition, as a result of the

storms, many traffic signs were destroyed, and

the YSLC led an initiative in partnership with local

police to replace damaged signs and conduct

traffic safety training.

The YSLC initiative has clearly empowered young

leaders in the West Bank; many have gone on

to receive impressive awards and take on new

positions. One YSLC President from Illar, Basha’er

Othman, 17, was appointed ‘Acting Mayor’ for

a two-month period and worked directly with

municipal council members and staff, recently,

she was appointed by Minister Sa’ed Al-Koni to

serve as a Minister of Local Government for one

day, In addition, Mohammed Taqatqa, former

President of Beit Fajjar YSLC was one of only 12

youth in the West Bank to receive a ‘Volunteer of

the Year Award’ from the Prime Minister in 2012.

For more information on the YSLC initiative, please

visit: www.yslc.ps, and a brief film on the initiative

can be found at:

http://www.chf-pal.org/videogallery.php?file=93

Impact of the YSLC Initiative

Individual: Developing and empowering young leaders,

increasing their confidence and sense of agency.

Youth: Improving community and LGU perceptions of youth,

demonstrating that local youth are proactive, hard-working, and

high contributing members of society.

Community: Building partnerships and implementing initiatives

that improve quality of life.

National: Creating a platform for youth networking, hosting

national youth summits, informing local governance & youth

policy, and creating the next generation of Palestinian leaders.


With school out of session and 16-hour daily fasts this past Ramadan, it would seem like a difficult time for

Palestinian youth to engage in productive activities. However, for those familiar with their energy and resilience, it

comes as no surprise that hundreds have either organized or participated in 13 summer camps being organized

by Youth Shadow Local Councils (YSLCs) – established under the Local Government & Infrastructure program

funded by USAID – across the West Bank this summer.

A SUMMER OF FUN AND LEARNING:LOCAL YOUTH COUNCILS ORGANIZE SUMMER CAMPS THROUGHOUT THE WEST BANK

Photo caption (left to right): Summer camp activities in Beit Fajjar and Beit Sahur

YSLCs are democratically elected youth bodies that emulate local municipalities and increase the engagement

and representation of youth in local government affairs.

Youth of all ages participated in the camps which were geared towards increasing youth participation in community

affairs with a particular focus on connecting young people with their local government. This included familiarizing

participants with the various departments of their local municipalities and teaching them how these departments


function while educating youth about

accountability and the responsibility of

local government to its citizens.

YSLC Council representatives act as

youth ambassadors in their communities

at local summer camps by sharing their

experiences with the YSLC, enabling

camp-goers to gain valuable knowledge

and insight from responsible peers, and

ask questions on governance and civic

participation topics.

In addition to bringing participants closer

to their local government, the camps

aimed to address a number of thematic

areas relevant to young people, including leadership, communications, advocacy, gender sensitivity, environmental

protection, career counseling, volunteerism, and creative thinking. Concepts relating to these themes were

discussed in workshops, and put into practice through volunteer work and field visits to local municipalities, civil

society organizations, and schools.

Photo Caption: Summer camp activities in ‘Aqaba, Qabalan and Salfit, respectively.

But, of course, camp activities were not limited to only ‘serious’ topics. Counselors ensured that participants

engaged in a variety of fun recreational activities through which young people could interact and enjoy their

time with one another while learning. Many activities took the form of games such as role playing games in

which participants were asked to represent different municipal departments and civil society organizations. This

combination provided participants with an enjoyable and invigorating environment in which they have fun while

simultaneously learning and building critical skills for the future.

“We tried to avoid lecturing the youth and instead had them participate in interactive activities such as emulating their municipal council…the activities networked youth with their government representatives and civil society actors and all had the same goal: to encourage greater civic participation of youth while familiarizing them with the roles and responsibilities of government institutions.”

-Meqdad Shbeita, President of Qalqilya’s YSLC and lead summer camp organizer.


IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNTIES FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH IN AREA C

As of June 30, 2013, Global Communities, with USAID funding under the Local Government & Infrastructure

program, has completed the construction or rehabilitation of six schools in Area C. Following the Oslo Interim

Agreement, the West Bank was divided into three areas: A, B, and C. Area C is the largest of the three areas,

comprising more than 60% of the West Bank and is under full Israeli control.

The Israeli Authorities do not permit building in 70% of Area C and requires permits be obtained before construction

on an additional 29% of land. Though acquiring such permits can be a challenge, the U.S. Government, particularly

USAID and the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, was able to obtain a permit for Global Communities to

construct the new schools.

Impact in Area C Schools as of June 30, 2013: At a Glance

Dhaher Al Abed Co-Ed Jenin Governorate 125 studentsAd Deirat Co-Ed Hebron Governorate 166Al Buweib Co-Ed Hebron Governorate 162SalahEddin Boys Jerusalem Governorate 370Al Maniya Co-Ed Bethlehem Governorate 350Az Zeer Boys Secondary Bethlehem Governorate 712Six schools 1,885 students

Dhaher Al Abed, Jenin Governorate“The [old] school was only two rooms. There weren’t any bathrooms. There was no playground for you to relax… I am proud that this new school was built.” - Wasim Ala Omar Kamal Amarni, 14 years, a young student from

Dhaher Al Abed, a small village 30 km southwest of Jenin City.

As a result of Global Communities’ work, about 125 students, including

Wasim, are now enjoying a comfortable educational environment in

line with Ministry of Education standards in the West Bank. Instead

of two classrooms in a building that suffered from major damage and

overcrowding, there are now nine classrooms in a brand new building.

Outdoor sanitary stalls have been replaced by two bathroom facilities, one

for girls and one for boys, that are both handicap accessible and within

the school building itself. The classrooms are complemented by new

laboratories, a canteen, library, and extensive play area with a basketball

court. In addition, Dhaher Al Abed Co-educational School is now one

of only eight public schools in the West Bank with a kindergarten class,

and the first in Jenin government, marking a new era of early childhood

education. Caption: Wasim at the new school


“In the past we had two separate buildings with no safe boundaries for the young students who play near street, but now we have this building full of comfortable, classrooms as well as specialized rooms where we can gain practical knowledge as students in other schools do, and our school is protected by walls that gave us a feeling of security that we did not have before.”

-Raneen Mohammad Amarneh, 13-year-old student

The new school has addressed a number of challenging issues facing the students and educators of Dhaher Al

Abed, chief of which was the lack of physical infrastructure available to provide a suitable environment for learning.

The school is also the first within the governorate to house a Kindergarten, providing specialized supervision from

the Ministry of Education. As a result of these changes attendance rates have increased and drop-out rates have

decreased, according to the school’s principal, Mrs. Ghada Qabaha: “In the past years the records of students’ attendance showed increasing in Students absence and escaping from school during classes, while now we have few absent students when they are only sick and this happens because they love their new school”

Caption: Dhaher Al Abed School: Before and After

Ad Deirat, Hebron Governorate“Less than two months before we obtained the permit, we received notification from the Israeli Authorities that we could not use the classrooms we had built.” - Mohammed Makhamreh, Head of the local village council for

Khallat Al Maiyya.

Prior to Global Communities and USAID’s involvement in expanding and renovating Ad Deirat Co-Educational

School, the village, located 25 kilometers south of Hebron, had moved forward with expanding the school without

prior approval from the Israeli Authorities. As a result, they received notification that they could not finish or use the

additional floor they had built, leaving the school with only four classrooms for about 170 students.

Because of this experience, Mr. Makhamreh said, “I was shocked when we were able to get the permit to renovate

the whole school, and add an additional floor,” resulting in the completion of the four classrooms the village council

had begun building, renovation of the original four classrooms on the ground floor, an additional floor with one

more classroom, a library, and science laboratory, and a full-scale play area with basketball court.


Community member handing the USAID Assistant Administrator at that time a gift of appreciation

for the new school at the inauguration on September 8, 2012


Previously, students from Ad Deirat had to travel to Khallat Al Maiyya or Yatta, about 2 km and 8km away

respectively, to attend classes after the ninth grade. This added a financial burden on local families covering

the cost of transportation, reduced the number of girls who would complete their secondary school education

due to concerns regarding travel away from their home village, and put additional pressure on the resources of

neighboring schools. These new schools mean a more comfortable and motivating learning environment for both

students and teachers.

Before: classroom

Completed school in Ad Deirat

After: classroom

Global Communities - West Bank & Gaza

[email protected]

www.chf-pal.org

Global Communities

www.globalcommunities.org

Hebron OfficeJawdi Abusneneh Building, Ein Sara Street, Hebron

Phone number: +970 2 2296970

Fax: +970 2 02296971

Gaza OfficeAl-Huda Building, Al Shuhada Street, Al-Rimal

Phone number: + 970 8 2884708Fax: +970 8 2884707

Ramallah OfficeVIP 3 Building, Tawfeeq Zayyad Street, Al Balou', AlBireh

Phone number: +970 2 2413616

Fax: +970 2 2413614

Nablus OfficeTrust Building, Amman Street, Nablus

Phone number: +970 9 2379537

Fax: +970 9 2379539

Jerusalem OfficeAbu Rmeileh Building, Shajrat Al Durr Street, Beit Hanina

P.O. Box: 25122, Jerusalem, 97300

Phone Number: +972 2 5855827

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