How can I help Palestinian refugees: It is estimated that there are more than 7.2 million Palestinian refugees worldwide (of which 4.3 million are registered for assistance with the United Nations. Naturally, it is only human to want to help these poor people displaced from their homes and improve their conditions in anyway possible. It’s possible to do that in a number of ways including helping refugees in your home country, donating money to NGOs that do vital work in this area and even volunteering to help the refugees in the Middle East.
Volunteering to help refugees in your home country
Palestinian refugees will be found in most countries now due to international asylum commitments to take them in. In most big cities and capital cities in Western countries, there will undoubtedly be organisations helping refugees assimilate into their host country, find accommodation and find shelter. If you are already based in one of these cities, this may be the most convenient way to help make a difference and improve the lives of Palestinian refugees.
Donating money to NGOs helping refugees
Alternatively if you don’t have the time to volunteer yourself, you can always donate to the appropriate charities. Be sure to do your research before donating to ensure your money is going directly to those who need it – there’s nothing worse than donating money and then realising a charity only spends 30% of the people you want to help.
Volunteer to help refugees in the Middle East
If you have the inclination and the ability to do so, one of the most rewarding options can be to volunteer helping refugees in the Middle East. Helping the refugees on the ground in camps is very fulfilling as you can directly see the impact you are making to help improve the lives of these poor people. Make sure to do your research to find the right organisation and location – there are various pros and cons of working with any organisation and likewise with the location, so you have to balance what makes sense for you with how you can provide the most help.
How to prepare for a volunteer experience in the Middle East
If you’ve never been before, the Middle East can be quite a daunting region. There can be negative media reports which are unwarranted, so again research is key to build up an accurate picture of the place in your mind. Be sure to thoroughly plan your route to your destination to avoid getting lost or getting ripped off on transport costs. Pack appropriate clothing (bearing in mind culture traditions in the region) and make any preparations for the climate (particularly if you are coming in summer) like sun cream and mosquito spray.
Finally, brush up any Arabic you have or try to learn a few handy words and phrases from the guide book – the locals really appreciate you making the effort and will go out of their way to extend the famous Arab hospitality especially to anyone who is clearly trying to appreciate the language and the culture.
Volunteering with the Excellence Center in the West Bank Palestine
The Excellence Center in the West Bank offers a unique opportunity to aid Palestinian refugees. It is situated in Hebron, on the frontline of Occupation where an Israeli settlement has claimed 20% of the city. In the Old City here particularly there are Palestinians who are in need of desperate help, who have fallen into very low conditions. Equally in the surrounding countryside particularly in the Fawwar refugee camp, there are many refugees who need help. They lead very difficult lives and have little access to outside help. Whether it’s bring them food, administering medical aid, coaching them in sports or even putting a smile on their faces through circus performances, everyone has the ability to help improve the lives of these refugees.
Many different types of people have come to help and all have found their experience richly and uniquely rewarding. Of course one person is just a drop in the ocean, but the ripple effect of showing these refugees that people care about their plight and that news of their difficulties reaches far around the world is a morale booster in itself. They have little to no freedom of movement, almost no possibility to find work and no hope of buying the land necessary to move out of the refugee camp. It’s a miserable state of affairs and unfortunately it’s one likely to continue in this way for the foreseeable future.
Refugees outside the city or within the city
The Excellence Center has a liaison manager who oversees all the volunteers who come to the centre to channel their aid to where it is needed the most. Sometimes this will be with refugees outside the city or within the city, but it will always be with people who are in desperate need of the help. The Excellence Center houses all volunteers here in Hebron (whether it’s with a host family for women, or in a dormitory for men) and ensures that they have the best possible experience while they are here. If you want to find out more about the programme, go on our website or read testimonials from former volunteers on websites like Go Palestine so you have an idea of what this programme really looks like.
Any questions?
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Rafat@excellencenter.org
Find us online
Whatsapp:+972599479880
For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org
Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
