Best Programs to Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees and Children: The ongoing occupation of Palestine affects millions of Palestinians in Palestine and around the world. Palestinian children and Palestinian refugees are some of the most vulnerable groups of Palestinians and can therefore benefit greatly from additional support. Some of the issues Palestinian refugees and Palestinian children face are limited access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and necessities, including food and water (particularly in Gaza). For anyone wishing to help Palestinian children and refugees, there are several ways to do this, which we will explore in this article.
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Best Ways To Help Palestinian Refugees And Children
Educate Yourself About Palestine
One meaningful way to help Palestinian children and Palestinian refugees is to become better informed about the situation in Palestine and the ongoing Israeli occupation. To be able to help with a problem, it is necessary first to have a sound understanding of it. There are several ways to educate yourself about Palestine. There are numerous online resources, as well as books and documentaries, that can expand your knowledge about Palestine.
Additionally, social media is a potent tool to learn about Palestine, as you can learn directly from everyday Palestinians about their situation, their history, and their everyday lives. Palestinians are often denied their voice or silenced in mainstream news and other media, so seeking out the voices of everyday Palestinians is critical.
Uplift Palestinian Voices
One key issue that Palestinians face in the media is that their voices are often excluded or talked over. Much of the literature that is commonly accessible about Palestine and the Israeli occupation of Palestine is not written by Palestinians. Palestinians are far more capable of telling their own stories than outsiders are, so it is essential to listen to Palestinians and uplift their voices instead of listening to the voices that are talking over them.
Sharing information about Palestine with your friends, family members, and other connections, as well as through social media, might seem like it won’t make a difference. Still, all these small actions have the power to make a significant difference in the long run, even if you don’t see the direct impact of your actions.
Volunteer With Palestinians In Diaspora
Palestinians make up the largest refugee population in the world, which means there are millions of Palestinians in the diaspora. If there are Palestinian organizations or events in your local area, consider contacting the organizers to explore volunteering opportunities and supporting their needs. For example, this can include organizations that sell Palestinian-made handicrafts or other products, particularly those by Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, or Jordan, and organizations that work with Palestinian refugees or children.
Support The Palestinian Economy
There are several ways to support the Palestinian economy, including spending money in Palestinian-owned businesses like restaurants and companies that produce or support products made by or for Palestinian children and refugees. Suppose you cannot find any Palestinian-owned companies in your local area. In that case, the internet is an excellent source of Palestinian products, and you should be able to see on their website whether your purchase will help Palestinian children and/or Palestinian refugees. Another way to support the Palestinian economy is to visit Palestine and spend your money locally in Palestinian restaurants, Palestinian accommodation, Palestinian shops, and more.
Volunteer In Palestine
For those who have the financial means and privilege to be able to travel to Palestine, this is one way that you can help Palestinian refugees and children. Firstly, you will have the opportunity to learn a great deal about the Palestinian cause while being on the ground in Palestine. Secondly, you can engage in volunteer work to directly support Palestinian children and Palestinian refugees. This is one of the best ways to make a tangible life in the difference of Palestinians that you meet on the ground in Palestine.
Why Are There Palestinian Refugee Camps?
There are several Palestinian refugee camps across the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. These were primarily created between 1948, when the Nakba began, and 1967. The Nakba refers to the ongoing event of Palestinians being displaced or made refugees in their own land and abroad, their homes and villages being destroyed, and continuing to be oppressed and subjugated as a result of the establishment of the state of Israel on top of historic Palestine. While Palestinian refugees are no longer living in tents, Palestinian refugee camps still exist today because Palestinian refugees in Palestine and around the world are denied their right of return by Israel.
UNRWA Administers most Palestinian Refugee Camps
Most refugee camps in these areas are official refugee camps administered by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. UNRWA was created in 1949 specifically to provide essential services, including health and education services as well as humanitarian assistance, to Palestinian refugees, who, to this day, still make up the largest refugee population in the world. In the late 1940s, when the Nakba began, there were around 750,000 Palestinians made into refugees, but today there are almost 6 million Palestinian refugees around the world.
Palestinian Refugee Camps In/Near Hebron
The two major refugee camps in Hebron governorate (that is the surrounding area but not inside the city center itself), are Al-Aroub and Al-Fawwar refugee camps. Al-Aroub is one of the largest refugee camps in the West Bank and is located around 10km north of Hebron, on the route to Bethlehem.
Duration And Timing Of Our Short-Term Internship Programs In Palestine
Our short-term volunteer opportunities and internship programs, whether working with Palestinian children, Palestinian refugees, or in any other field, are very flexible for our overseas participants. Our interns and volunteers can choose their own start and end dates throughout the year and can decide how long their program duration is, starting from 1 week and lasting up to 13 weeks. This makes it very flexible and accessible, no matter your schedule and budget.
Summer Volunteer Opportunities With Palestinian Children And Palestinian Refugees
Additionally, from June through September, Study in Palestine offers summer internship opportunities and summer volunteer programs in the West Bank, Palestine. Volunteering with Palestinian children and/or Palestinian refugees is a great way to spend your summer. Our summer projects are particularly ideal for university or college students and recent graduates seeking intern or volunteer opportunities abroad during the summer. However, you don’t have to be a student or graduate to join us in the summer!
Below, you may find a quick, informative overview of our short-term volunteer and internship opportunities.
5 Best Programs to Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees and Children
Here you may find the 5 Best Ways to Help Palestinian Refugees and Children in Palestine
1. Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages
Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages: This program offers an excellent opportunity for individuals of all ages, from students to retirees, to work directly with Palestinian communities in villages and rural areas of the West Bank, including Dura and the Hebron Hills, such as Masafer Yatta, Susya, Umm Al-Khayr, the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, and Bani Na’im. Volunteers will collaborate with Palestinian children, youth, women, and refugees to enhance their skills and participate in educational and recreational activities.
Volunteers will also learn Arabic to communicate with the locals and visit sites of Palestinian cultural and historical significance in and around Hebron city. This program is an excellent opportunity to deepen their understanding of daily life in Palestinian communities, security challenges, and resilience under occupation.
2. Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees
Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees: This program caters to undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, employees of human rights organizations, retirees, and anyone interested in engaging with the work concerning Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Palestine. Getting involved in refugee assistance presents an excellent opportunity for university students and recent graduates seeking to gain experience in the human rights field.
Through this project in the West Bank, volunteers will have the opportunity to work with Palestinian children, women, and youths to enhance each other’s skills, create mutual understanding, engage in language exchange, and make a difference in each other’s lives.
The Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees in the West Bank program is open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 70. People from all countries and majors are welcome to join this program. There are no specific degree requirements. All that is required is a willingness to participate and help.
3. Volunteer with Palestinian Children
Volunteer With Palestinian Children Program offers students, professionals, retirees, and teachers an excellent opportunity to work directly with Palestinian children in the West Bank. It welcomes anyone interested in volunteering or interning, regardless of their first language.
Those interested in childhood education can benefit from volunteering or interning with children in Palestine. Participants are immersed in Palestinian culture, daily life, politics, human rights, and education.
Volunteers can join our program for 1 to 13 weeks, with flexible start and end dates year-round. All backgrounds and nationalities are welcome to apply, but participants must be at least 18.
As a volunteer or intern in Hebron, West Bank, you will meet many Palestinian children eager to interact with visitors. Supporting their growth positively impacts their well-being and the future of their country, making a difference in both their lives and yours.
4. Palestinian Community Development Program
The Volunteer in Palestinian Community Development Program in the West Bank offers a unique opportunity for students, undergraduates, teachers, and others seeking to volunteer or intern in Palestinian community development organizations in Palestine and Israel. If you wish to help Palestinian children and youth, refugees in refugee camps, and other community members in and around Hebron, West Bank, this program is for you. As a volunteer, you will be immersed in Palestinian culture whilst meeting new people (from Palestine and abroad), studying Arabic, and making a difference in people’s lives.
The Palestinian Community Development Volunteer and Internship Program has an essential impact on the Palestinian community. Through this program, you can help empower community members to develop themselves personally, professionally, and economically. At the same time, volunteers gain valuable experience in their personal development by running seminars, giving lectures, offering employment advice, and building interpersonal relationships within the local Palestinian community.
5. Volunteer With Orphanages in Palestine
Volunteer With Orphanages in Palestine: Hebron City, in the Occupied West Bank, is home to several orphanages that provide essential care and support to thousands of Palestinian children who have lost one or both of their parents. The high number of orphans in the region is mainly due to ongoing conflict, military occupation, economic hardship, and limited access to healthcare. Some children lose their parents to direct violence, such as military raids, airstrikes, and clashes. Others are caused by the impact of long-term instability, including imprisonment of family members, displacement, or lack of access to health services.
There are approximately 7,000 orphans in and around Hebron city, ranging from infants to young adults. These orphanages provide essential services such as housing, education, medical care, and psychological support to children without stable family situations. They often rely on funding from local charities, international donors, and religious organizations to support their operations. Some orphanages also function as social enterprises, operating businesses like kitchens and grocery stores to generate income and further support their work.
To Intern Or Volunteer With Us, You Need:
- To be aged 18-70 years old (although exceptions can be made if approved by Study in Palestine’s director)
- The ability to communicate in English
- The ability to work with an international team
- Patience and enthusiasm
- Eagerness to learn
What You DON’T Need:
- The ability to speak Arabic
- Travel or work experience
- To be a native speaker of English
- Experience in teaching English as a foreign language
The Impact Of Interning With Study In Palestine
We aim to make a long-term difference for both the local Palestinian community and you, through our range of various short-term internships and volunteer programs, through the exchange of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes”. All of our internships and volunteer opportunities in the West Bank, Palestine, are well researched and targeted to ensure that they have a positive impact. We offer opportunities to engage with and support Palestinian refugees and Palestinian children, as they are some of the groups of Palestinians most in need of support.
Some Of The Benefits And Highlights Of Volunteering Or Interning With Study In Palestine
- We provide your accommodation in Hebron as part of your internship or volunteer program, either in a homestay or shared apartment.
- Be immersed in Palestinian culture, the local community, and daily life in Hebron.
- Each morning (except Fridays), join us at our center for a Palestinian breakfast as part of your short-term internship program, shared with other participants and our staff.
- Gain valuable work experience working with Palestinian refugees and children, and build your skillset by collaborating with Palestinians, fellow interns, and volunteers.
- The experience of living and interning or volunteering abroad is a valuable opportunity for personal development, including growing your confidence, trying new things, becoming more independent, and becoming a more proficient problem-solver.
- Meet and form lasting friendships and connections with people from Palestine and all over the world.
- You will receive three hours of Arabic lessons per week provided by us, with the choice between learning Levantine (Shami) Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, or Colloquial Palestinian (Ammiya) Arabic.
- Learn Arabic one-on-one or in a small group class (2-5 students) in an immersive environment and with personalized instruction provided by one of our well-qualified native-Arabic teachers.
- Learn Palestinian spoken Arabic from native speakers and embrace the opportunity to communicate with locals.
- The chance to gain a better understanding of Palestinian politics and experience the Israeli occupation in the West Bank.
- Learn about the human rights situation in Palestine and support Palestinian refugees, Palestinian children, and Palestinian women.
- You have the opportunity to travel to historical locations and nearby cities, including Jerusalem, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, and Bethlehem, in your free time.
- You will have days off to visit other nearby cities, including Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Nazareth.
- We arrange visits to Palestinian universities, local institutions, and organizations specializing in culture and education.
- Having numerous opportunities to enjoy local Palestinian foods and delicacies.
- We offer you pre-departure support as well as ongoing in-country support during your time with us in Palestine.
- You can obtain academic credit or internship credit towards your degree for currently enrolled university or college students, thanks to our partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education.
- You will receive a certificate upon completion of your internship program.
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Final Thoughts
There are several ways that individuals who are passionate about the Palestinian cause can help Palestinian children and refugees, who are some of the most vulnerable communities of Palestinians. These can include supporting the Palestinian economy, supporting Palestinian organizations, advocating for Palestinian rights, assisting with humanitarian aid, and volunteering on the ground in Palestine. One local Palestinian organization offering fantastic volunteer opportunities to help Palestinian refugees and Palestinian children is Study in Palestine, located in Hebron, Palestine.
Study in Palestine offers a range of volunteer work opportunities, including some specialising in working with Palestinian children and Palestinian refugees. You can choose how much of your valuable time you can contribute, from 1 to 13 weeks, and at any time of the year. Volunteering in Palestine allows you to better inform yourself about the Palestinian cause, the situation in Palestine, and the challenges that Palestinians, Palestinian children, and Palestinian refugees face regularly. This knowledge will help you make an even bigger and even more positive contribution in the near and distant futures. You will also have the opportunity to work alongside Palestinian children and refugees, providing them with direct assistance in areas where they need it most.
We hope you will join us in Palestine and volunteer with Palestinian children and/or refugees soon!
