The Karama Organization for Women and Children's Development is a non-governmental organization situated in Deheishe Refugee Camp near the West Bank city of Bethlehem that aims to empower youth and women through creative activities and educational programs. The Karama Organization(Arabic for dignity) works independently and is not affiliated with any political party or movement.
Karama's center is located behind the UNRWA Deheishe boys school, and offers free after-school programs during the school year.
During the summer and winter breaks from school, Karama organizes camps in order to keep children active and engaged.
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Karama was established in 2002 by a group of international and Palestinian individuals and registered with the Palestinian Authority in 2003 as non-governmental organization.[1]
These individuals believed that the educational environment in the Occupied Palestinian Territories had deteriorated dramatically in the aftermath of the Second Intifada. Karama's founding mission to provide a safe place for children to play and to provide free academic and social education programs for the community in Deheishe.
Initially, Karama's educational focus was to be exclusively on children, with its social programs addressing adults in the community. In an effort to assist a illiterate mother monitor her son's progress in school, Karama initiated a women's education program. A group of twelve illiterate women participated in the first program, that ran for two years. Karama provided teachers and materials during this time. After passing their primary school equivalencies, the women proceeded to work towards their high school exams. These exams are very difficult and many high school students are unable to pass them, but nine of the students did.
The Karama organization identified the potential to improve the educational environment of the entire camp through targeting adult women for these programs. Five of the women who participated in their first education program went on to study at the university level.
The academic education program is in addition to the social education programs that Karama offers to local women and their families. Issues of domestic abuse, women's health, and entrepreneurship are examples of subjects addressed in Karama's ongoing series of lectures and seminars for women.
Karama's free youth education programs are designed to supplement the overwhelmed UNRWA schools. These schools average over 50 students per instructor [2] in poorly designed and funded facilities, and their ability to operate structured educational environments suffer as the result.
Karama operates from one of the few buildings in the camp with open-space, albeit small, and thus is able to offer classes and outdoor recreation. There are no playgrounds or parks in the camp for the more than 4,000 camp residents under the age of 15, and Karama considers athletic recreation and access to open-space areas an important therapeutic means to counter the effects of this claustrophobic environment on children.
Examples of the courses and services we have offered include English and math coaching (the English courses are partly held by foreign volunteers), psychological care and preventive lessons, paint and handicraft courses as well as other artistic projects, a music group, a chess club, a theater workshop, and more.
Starting in January 2010, Karama partnered with the Norwegian People's Aid to create a comprehensive remedial education program for 432 students in the Bethelehm and Hebron districts[3]. The worst performing students and their families were targeted to participate in this program for a period of four months. The program employed social workers to work with the families and identify causes for their children's struggles in school, and teacher were employed to offer lessons in the children's schools. Karama negotiated with both UNRWA's Education Department and the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education in order to gain access to unused facilities in the participating schools.
Since its founding in 2002, Karama has hosted many volunteers from around the world and a variety of cultural backgrounds[4]. As of the Spring Quarter 2010, Karama continues to accept volunteers throughout the year to participate in their cultural exchange, education and social programs. Volunteers often offer free courses in English, French or Spanish languages, computer training, music and art, or lecturing about democracy, human rights, health and social issues. Volunteers are also assist in administrative tasks and necessary fundraising efforts.
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