WORKCAMPS IN ISRAEL

In 2008 OIKOS organises in collaboration with Baladna, a local non-profit organisation, several workcamps in Israel.

The fee of participation (including the annual membership-card of OIKOS) is 100,00 Euro and has to be paid when applying for a camp. 
The camp-fee (including board and lodging) is 150,00 Euro and has to be paid to the camp-coordinator on arrival in Israel.

Baladna’s International Activities

Baladna - Association for Arab Youth is a developmental and capacity building agency for Arab-Palestinian youth in Israel. It was established in 2000, and officially registered in 2001. Baladna works with Arab-Palestinian youth to work towards not being institutionally marginalized and to gain more equality with the Jewish majority in Israel.  Resistance to official discrimination aims to deepen connections to Palestinian identity and encourage community development.

The association encourages Arab-Palestinian youth to address discrimination by Israel’s educational and governing institutions. Baladna directly mobilizes young people through educational programs and cultural activities. The association also collaborates with agencies promoting Arab-Palestinian youth and helps build their leadership capabilities.

Baladna has strong relationships with partners in Israel, Palestine and abroad. Baladna has hosted volunteers through the European Commission’s European Voluntary Service (EVS) since 2002 and organised several exchanges and seminars, facilitated international exchanges on human rights issues that effect Palestinians in Israel and in Palestine. This enabled intercultural exchange between internationals and Palestinian youth. In addition Baladna hosted STV and LTV for several projects.

In August 2002, Baladna organized the first two-week workcamp at Halleessa, the most underprivileged Arab-Palestinian neighbourhood in Haifa. This work camp aimed at renovating the neighbourhood’s houses, cleaning streets, planting trees and energizing the local community. Arab-Palestinian and Jewish volunteers, as well as volunteers from Japan, the US, Canada, Spain and France, took part in activities such as painting, reading and writing, teaching English, sports, and theatre performances.

Project: Sakhnin is a very old town, which dates back 3,500 years. The town is situated in the heart of the Galilee and has holy sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews.
The town is built over three hills. It is 200-250 meters above sea level, and it is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, the highest of them is 602 meters high.
Today there are over 20,000 inhabitants in Sakhnin and most of them make a living from businesses, light industry, and construction work within the neighboring cities.

Work: Volunteers will work on important site, called The Spring "El-EIN" which lies in the southeast of the town.  This served as the main source of drinking water for the people of Sakhnin decades ago.  Volunteers will work together to renovate certain parts of the spring which have eroded and deteriorated over the years. Meanwhile the volunteers will help to develop the surrounding area of the spring into a small park with benches, plants and flowers. In addition the work will be at different location of the town as public gardens, painting (drawing) walls of schools in order to interact with the local population and promote the idea of volunteering. All the projects will not only add to the village but will benefit the lives of the people who live there.

Cultural program: Part of the work camp experience includes engaging with international youth as well as with the Arab-Palestinian society. Through projects, discussions and cultural field trips, you will learn about your peers and about Arab-Palestinian culture while contributing to this community.

Accommodation: The hosting organization is Baladna and Sakhnen Municipality. In municipal social centre.

Work: The camp will be divided into two main activities. First, local and international participants will engage in the creation of educational farm for pupils at the elementary school. These include painting, building and some maintenance and gardening work in order to construct the space for the educational farm. Secondly they will be involved in different field trip visits.

Project: Fasouta is an Arab Palestinian Christian village with 3,000 inhabitants, located in the far north of Israel and right on the border with Lebanon. It is an isolated town, on a road that leads to nowhere but Fasouta, The village is about 300 years old, and sits crowded atop a small hill from which you can see the Mediterranean Sea as well as deep into Lebanon.

Cultural program: The majority of the work camp will be in Fasouta. However, to enhance participants’ understanding of the Arab-Palestinian situation within Israel, they will visit nearby villages and cities. Beyond the work camp, throughout the experience, participants will become aware of the original Arab Palestinian way of life in the area. Every night, after a hard day of work and intensive education, participants will learn about traditional Palestinian culture via several activities and visits. Youth participating in the work-camp will also learn about the economic, social and political realities faced by Palestinians in Israel, will learn about issues such as the confiscation of Arab lands by the state, and engage in cultural and social activities illustrating the region’s historic importance.

Accommodation: The Hosting Organization is Baladna and Fasouta Municipality. Accommodation is in a municipal center.

Work:  The workcamp will take place at the old city of Nazareth and the participants will be involve in painting, drawing and decorating empty spaces at the old city. In addition engaged with the local in workshops and field study visits. 

Project: Nazareth, famous as the home town of Jesus, is today a city offering visitors a wealth of important religious and historic sites combined with the attractions of a thriving modern Arab city. There are 75 thousand people living in Nazareth and is considered the largest Arab city in Israel. The Old Market The historic heart of the Old City is still a thriving modern market (souk), however due to several reasons it is no longer as it use to be (center of the Galilee).

Cultural program: Part of the work camp experience includes engaging with international youth as well as with the Arab-Palestinian society. Through projects, discussions and cultural field trips, you will learn about your peers and about Arab-Palestinian culture while contributing to this community.

Accommodation: Hosting Organization is Baladna and Baqaa' youth group. Accomodation in a centre at the old city.

TO PARTICIPATE TO A WORKCAMP CLICK HERE

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