West Bank and Gaza
Information on the IDD projects in West Bank and Gaza.
EQUIP3/Ruwwad: The Palestinian Youth Empowerment Program
Ruwwad (an EQUIP3 Associate Award), taken from the Arabic word for “pioneers”, is a ground-breaking program created by Palestinians, for Palestinians. Its mission is to empower Palestinian youth and the adults who serve them, so that both groups can become strong local leaders and change-makers. Since 2005, Ruwwad has been planned, designed, and implemented “by youth, for youth,” with a focus on positive leadership development for young women and men ages 14 to 30. Ruwwad provides youth with training, funding, and support to lead grassroots community service projects, and works with the Ministry of Youth to improve the government’s capacity to serve its young people. Read more >>
Hidaya
Hidaya, which means “guidance” in Arabic, is a project model under development that tests an integrated health and education methodology in Gaza to address the psychological and social wounds of conflict while equipping and mobilizing people into positive action. The project seeks to demonstrate that a community-based health and education intervention, using clinically proven methods, can heal trauma and promote inter-ethnic tolerance among Muslim populations in conflict countries in the Middle East. Through phase 1 of the project, 12 local professionals will receive training in how to work with Palestinian youth and adults who exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Participants will be trained in techniques drawn from the fields of mental and public health, social sciences, education, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and international development. EDC implements the Hidaya project through a partnership with The Center for Mind Body Medicine (CMBM). Read more >>
EDC is using low-cost, low-power devices such as MP3 players to bring educational programming to those who are beyond the reach of radio.