Short term volunteering projects are a great way to help local people in the Middle East if it is difficult for you to commit more time or your entire future to working there. If you are full-time employment in your home country, for example, it may be difficult to spend more than a few weeks volunteering without taking a long term sabbatical.
All help is welcomed, especially in the more troubled and volatile areas of the Middle East. In this article, we will explain a bit more about the different types of volunteering opportunities available and how you can get started with one of them!
What kind of short term volunteering project?
Before committing the time and money to come to the Middle East, you need to think carefully about what kind of short term volunteering project you want to undertake. Some of the most common, include aid distribution for a refugee camp, teaching English or nursing.
Some require specific skills while others are suitable for all comers. Think about in which area you can make the biggest impact given your skillset and which experience is going to be the most worthwhile for you (because this is important as well!).
Where to find a short term volunteering project in the Middle East?
The best place to look is, of course, the internet. Not only can you search for volunteering programs and organizations in the Middle East, but you can also see lots of feedback about them to see if they are legitimate and if volunteers have had the experiences which the organizations promise.
This is especially important if you’ve taken the time off work to visit the Middle East and when you get the experience you get isn’t the one you’ve been promised – there’s no worse feeling, so do your homework in advance to prepare thoroughly. Stick to professional-looking organizations with good volunteer feedback as a general rule.
Best places to do a short term volunteering project in the Middle East
There’s a lot of options here of course, but generally, the best options tend to be in the places with a lower cost of living and more people in need. In this case, Palestine and Jordan are probably the two best places to volunteer – they are stable enough to avoid the problems of Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, but also still need a lot of outside help.
Lebanon can also offer a great option, given the high refugee populations that currently reside there. Specifically in and around Amman in Jordan or anywhere in the West Bank Palestine are generally good options for a short term volunteering project.
Below you may find a couple of Short term Volunteering projects in the Middle East:
- Human Rights Program (one week to three months)
- Volunteer and Study Arabic in Palestine
- Women Rights volunteering Program (one to 12 weeks)
- Volunteer in Journalism Program (one to 12 weeks)
- Volunteer in a Technology Project (one to 12 weeks)
- Teach English and Study Arabic in Palestine (two to three months)
- Volunteering in Local Schools in West Bank (one to 12 weeks)
- Medicine and Healthcare Volunteering Program (one to 12 weeks)
- Music, and Arts Volunteer Program(one to 12 weeks)
Preparing for a short term volunteering project in the Middle East
The number one thing you should do before visiting your Middle is plan your route to get to the place in the first instance. Transport can be tricky, not to mention visa issues, so if you’re working in the West Bank and you arrive in Ben Gurion airport Israel, or you need to get from Amman to a small village in the Jordanian countryside, you need to think about how to get there in advance.
Most reputable organizations will offer travel advice. Brush up on a few Arabic words and phrases to help you get around. Also pack appropriate clothing bearing in mind the seasonal temperatures and Muslim attitudes to clothing and you will be all set to go!
Short term volunteering project in the West Bank, Palestine
One of the best places to take a short term volunteering project is the Excellence Center in Hebron (situated in the West Bank). We are extremely flexible with projects, on both timing and subject matter – you can take a project which lasts as little as one week or as long as three months (the maximum length of stay allowed by Israeli holiday visas).
We’ve had volunteers run projects on a number of themes, including one who coached football in refugee camps in the West Bank and a circus performer who put on shows for the locals state schools.
A fantastic atmosphere of cultural exchange
The volunteering program includes your accommodation, food and personal Arabic tutoring by a dedicated tutor to help improve the efficiency of your project when you can start prosecuting the project in the local language. International volunteers work alongside the permanent local Palestinian staff which volunteers find makes for a fantastic atmosphere of cultural exchange and mutual cooperation. Volunteers consistently praise the quality of interactions in their feedback and testimonials and many find themselves making lifelong friends even from such a short project.
Program’s reviews from former volunteers
The Excellence Center in Palestine volunteer programs has more than
- 333 reviews (93%) on gooverseas.com
- 50 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com
- Volunteers in Palestine video testimonials
Traveling to volunteer in Palestine on your own?
No worries, you’ve come to the right place!
The Excellence Center hosts volunteers in Palestine year-round. You will have many chances to meet several international participants as well as Palestinian students at the center and in the city of Hebron, West Bank.
Moreover, the center hosts many international visitors from around the world who will be studying Arabic in Palestine or interning at the Center. You will engage with them in educational and community activities. Moreover, you will work together as a team.
Additionally, everyone at the Excellence Center including Palestinian students, international visitors, and EC’s staff – is like one big family. Finally, Hebron is a good place for international visitors to stay and offers a great social atmosphere. There are always activities to share and memories to create.
How to get a visa to Volunteer in Palestine?
Most of the Excellence Center’s volunteers get a tourist visa for three months when they fly to Israeli airports or cross from Jordan to the West Bank.
In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine. Please refer to the visa exemption agreement. Upon your arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which enables you to travel around Palestine and Israel.
Final remarks
We hope you enjoyed reading Short term Volunteering projects in the Middle East article. We would be happy to have you in Palestine which is the main heart of the Middle East
Any questions?
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Rafat@excellencenter.org
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
