Hello!
My name is Katherine, I work at a non-profit called Tomorrows Youth Organization in Nablus, Palestine (West Bank). We run many psychosocial-based, educational programs with Palestinian children & youth of all ages, and a women's program every weekday morning that involves creativity, well-being/self care and educational/rights-based workshops.
The women
The women in our program are mostly Palestinian refugees from three main camps around the city, as well as those from Nablus's economically disadvantaged Old City & Khallet al Amoud neighbourhoods. Of the three refugee camps, Balata, Old Asker & New Asker, Balata is by far the biggest population-wise; originally designed for 5000 displaced people, it's now home to 27,000. Coming in at only 0.25 sq. km it's one of the most densely populated places on earth.
People in the camp don't always have access to high-quality education (with average classroom sizes of 50 kids), many also drop-out of school very early, experience severe economic hardship, backgrounds and/or current situations of trauma, and periodically, violence and conflict. The words 'self care' (in Arabic or English) are foreign to most of the women who come to our center in the mornings.
The idea
We've recently started a creative and imaginative art program with our 4 groups of women (128 participants in total), with a strong base in learning and encouraging self care, mental well-being, self-confidence & self-worth. For this 3-month session our arting and crafting schedule involves hand-making felt children's toys, natural deodorant and lip balm, hand-sewn lavender & rice heat packs (for relaxation and sore muscles), beeswax food wraps (a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap and aluminium foil), and an introduction course to lino printing. Aside from the art-side of the program, the women also attend fitness classes, yoga, meditation, and informative seminars.
Why it matters
We believe in the power of art-making and creativity to do a multitude of things;
- empower people to realise their own worth, creativity and ability,
- foster well-being, stress-release and inspiration,
- teach new skills for economic empowerment, and
- remind people of the importance of play, experimentation and creativity in their lives!
We'll add to that that many of our program activities have a focus on environmental sustainability, a subject that needs much more awareness, education and action here in Nablus, Palestine!
Our morning program of art, educational seminars and yoga/fitness/meditation gives these women time in their day for rest, self care, creativity and to believe in themselves. This kind of time is usually almost impossible to come by because of the many demands on them as care givers and providers to large families, living in cramped conditions of poverty and hardship.
The problem (and how to help)
Alas, our budget is too small to buy all the art materials & tools we need to continue with the art program, especially the lino printing course - 128 women is a lot of people after all!
If we can raise just 500 Australian dollars we can happily and successfully source all the materials needed to make this program happen. Anything we raise over that amount will be saved to fund the continuation of the women's art classes in the second half of this year, and next year! This is an ongoing program with lots of need and many potential/returning participants.
And that's all folks! We really hope you can believe in our creative cause as much as we do! Any small amount will help us out greatly.
Thank you!!
