Our Goals

The Peace Center for Heritage

Jerusalem / Eizariya

Main street- Lazarus church

Tel #: -972-2-2796216

Mobile #: -972522821778

Director of the Center: Ms. Sawsan Khatib

- Establishment:

”The peace Center for the Palestinian heritage” was Founded in 2008 as part of the "economic empowerment program for disadvantaged Palestinian families(DEEP) funded by the Islamic Development Bank under the auspices of UNDP in partnership with the Palestinian Authority, it was implemented by East Jerusalem YMCA, in order to improve the income of poor families, both Christian and Muslim families in which women hold the responsibility for maintenance of her family. Twenty-one women are working in this center and receive a monthly salary, more and more women and girls are asking for additional jobs because of the increasing of poverty and widespread unemployment in the Palestinian territories.

Part of the center is the Peace charity Sub-center of the sewing which was also funded by the same source “YMCA” that paid for the purchase of sewing machines, and the Center for Continuing Education in Bir Zeit University that granted a loan for the purchase of five sewing machines, that loan is supposed to be paid back through the distribution of uniforms to girls students from poor families and orphaned students for a period of three years in order to achieve social solidarity from one side and to provide working opportunities to needy women from the other side, we have been able to provide fifteen job opportunities to woman in order to help them improving their economic situation.

It is important to highlight that the Center and the sewing sub-center are non profit, their main objective is the empowerment of poor women and helping them to rely on themselves, the total income of the sub center is distributed to poor families that some of its’ members are working in the center, that means “purchasing from our center is supporting disadvantage families and helps women empowerment”.

- Main goals:

1 - Raising the economic level of women's through increasing employment opportunities and providing them with work inside their houses, particularly women with children that will have the opportunity to work at their homes near their children.

2 – Increasing the income level of many of the poor and marginalized families, especially families in which the maintenance responsibility is covered by women, regardless of the religion of the family or its’ political affiliation or any other element.

3 – Providing the needed training of the largest possible number of girls and women as part of the women empowerment.

4 - Help girls, particularly those that didn’t complete their education because of the bad economic situation, to take part in the family responsibilities and participation in its’ expenses by teaching them sewing or Palestinian embroidery.

6 - Preserve the Palestinian heritage for fear of extinction or loss.

7 - Raise the cultural and education levels of women to be able to contribute positively to the community development through their participation in workshops convened by the Center concerning the women rights in the workplace, occupational health and safety in addition to many other educational free courses for women or their daughters, such as English language courses or computer skills in cooperation with several associations and institutions concerned with women's empowerment.

- Current projects:

1- Palestinian Manual embroidery Project: it intended to preserve the Palestinian heritage from loss and extinction, the Center has sought to develop the project through a grant from the YMCA in addition to a loan of 3000 dollars, which contributed to the increase in the number of beneficiaries of the project and their acquisition of knowledge and practical skills and the creation of appropriate jobs for them and improve their economic conditions.

2- Sewing project: it was opened to provide school uniforms and all other types of clothing, through a grant that was provided by the YMCA in addition to a social loan from the Continuing Education Center of Bir Zeit University, which has improved the economical situations of many devastated and marginalized families, now we are working hard to purchase additional sewing machines to accommodate the largest possible number of beneficiaries in addition to providing professional training to these beneficiaries.

3- Summer camps: The peace Center of heritage in collaboration with several institutions and associations organized a summer camp for about 122 boys and girls, all are poor children, orphans, children of workers in the sub- center and the children of the Jahalin Bedouin camp. Despite the suffering and repression of children in the region as a result of the barrier construction, and despite the different customs and traditions, we were able to integrate all children and to make positive differences.

4/- Establishment of Dabka team as part of the Palestinian national heritage, in addition to providing workshops related to the most important things that belong to the Palestinian folklore and in particular with regard to the Palestinian traditional songs.

- The Center's activities:

1 - Distribution of food and clothing received by the Center from philanthropists to needy families, widows and women to support them regardless of their religion or political affiliation

2 - Distribution of school uniforms and school bags to orphans and the needy students.

3 - Organizing trips for the workers of the center and the sub- center in addition to women and children from the area in order to make a positive change in their lives.

4 - Holding of seminars, lectures, cultural and health guidance for women in collaboration with a number of institutions and associations working with women.

5 - Commemoration of the religious and national events in collaboration with a number of the town's association and Eizariya Local council , so women have an active and effective role in these activities.

6 - Working to disseminate the culture heritage by giving a weekly class for students of private and governmental schools on the heritage of the Palestinian and the most important items used by our ancestors in the past.

7 - Sewing clothes and embroidery for the Dabkeh team.

8 - Participation in festivals and exhibitions held at home and abroad to disseminate the culture heritage.

9 - Provide financial assistance, as much as possible, through scholarships for a number of female university students, particularly poor and orphans and the diligent stewardship student in cooperation with several institutions and societies interested in the education of girls.

-Future plans:

The center focused not only on the current activities through developmental projects, but more on achieving the aspirations of the future including:

1 - Food manufacturing plant, most women at the center and the sub-center are Bedouins from Jahalin camp and interested in the field of livestock.

2 - Development of the embroidery, storytelling sessions , tailoring for female school students, especially in school holidays.

3 - Maintenance and rehabilitation of the basement of the Center for the use of educational sessions and workshops, instead of renting a Hall each time to provide these sessions, we hope to get support from some resources.

Supporting the Peace Center for Heritage, through purchasing embroidery works, or through providing of assistance in kind, means to provide assistance to hundreds of poor families and marginalized groups.

We'd be grateful if you could donate, or support us by distributing our work.