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About Us
In 2019, we launched a community initiative in Aida refugee camp to respond to the urgent need of its young people, who were being subjected to violent oppression at the hands of the military occupation. We aimed to provide youth, and young women in particular, with access to education; to offer psychological support and to empower them to participate in decision-making and take on effective roles within the wider network of refugee camps. At the same time, we sought to create a safe space for young women to express themselves and become agents of change. The initiative evolved steadily and in 2021, we began working with youth and women’s groups inside the camp and implementing a number of cultural activities. It became a youth-led project, setting out to break down social barriers and limitations, forming a community in which both sexes aspired together to realise their dreams. Today, we at Al-Manar Organization for Culture and Creativity are working on several programs that support women and youth, with the aim of providing opportunities for community participation. Al-Manar Society For Culture & Creativity
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male and female volunteers
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people supported
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local and international partnerships
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female refugees supported
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Our Vision and Our mission
Leading with Vision and Purpose
Building a Palestinian society where young people of both genders enjoy a wider sphere for participation, work and decision-making.
let the message reach all over the word.
The mission of Al-Manar society for Culture and Creativity is to enhance cultural and creative awareness among women and youth and empower them. The center aims to achieve this by providing an inspiring educational and cultural environment through implementing activities and organizing events that promote critical and creative thinking; developing personal and social skills and increasing youth awareness regarding their fundamental rights. The center focuses on promoting values of tolerance, coexistence, and equality among young people. Gender equality is one of the core values which drives our community work in the camp
Embrace Change & Thrive
Our programs empower participants to navigate change and emerge stronger than ever.
Women’s Program: The Women’s Program is
divided into two parts:
First - improving literacy and emotional wellbeing in marginalised areas and refugee camps.
Small Business Administration.
Teaching children extracurricular activities through drawing, music, theater and 1-1 education.
Youth initiatives such as: promoting peer learning and the Literary Salon:
These programs cater to school students from the age of 14-18 and university students from the age of 19-30 in the Bethlehem governorate.
specific Goals
Creative Solutions leads for success
Setting specific goals drives innovation and growth
Enhancing the role of women in cultural, social, and economic life.
Promoting participation among young refugees in the camps
Providing a safe space for education, awareness, and emotional wellbeing for all sectors of society.
Contributing to the educational process and encouraging reading as a basis for community awareness.
Don't wait for success
Ready to bring your ideas to life? All it takes is one step
it is just a small step to begin
when the ideas come from some people
cofounder of al-manar society
Manar may need to revise the figures in the last paragraph I am Manar Qaraqe, a 23-year-old Palestinian woman from Aida Camp. I hold a bachelor's degree in Literature with a minor in Journalism and Media and a master's degree in International Development Cooperation. Since my childhood, I have had an interest in community work and women’s capacity to bring about societal change. I began my work at Aida camp after acting on stage and, while in my second year of university, I launched a cultural community initiative there. This involved a variety of events and projects including giving lectures which highlighted the needs of refugee youth. It served as a vital outlet for the girls and boys of the camp. The initiative later developed as I worked with youth groups within the camp on a range of cultural events and community projects, eventually evolving into a cultural community organization. I became the first young woman in the camp in the first youth group to work within this framework. Together with the youth we have succeeded in breaking down the barriers that prevent mixed-gender collaboration. We have collectively succeeded in building an organization where members of both genders work and think together to change their lives and reality and achieve their dreams as young refugees. Though we are all under 25 years old, through the Al-Manar Society for Culture and Creativity and the youth activities that it has implemented, we have been able to bring about profound personal change in our young men and women, transforming their vision of life. Through our activities, we have become more in love with life, and through our participation in these activities, especially those of a literary and creative nature, we have been able to express ourselves. I have, over the years worked with school and university students in 12 schools and 3 universities; supported 300 women in developing their skills and participating in decision-making and established a number of local and international partnerships. Furthermore, with the support of my colleagues, I have gathered more than 100 volunteers in one year and developed the initiative into a community-cultural institution. We have sought to demonstrate that women are capable of bringing about change and affirm our belief in the transformative potential of youth work, and we have proven that, even inside the camps, we can live and achieve our dreams as young refugees.
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Donation
Through Al-Manar society for Culture and Creativity, we seek to build a safe, interdependent society based on the values and principles of social justice, pluralism, and the empowerment of women, youth, and refugee children, with your help and support.
Your donations will directly fund empowerment projects, helping to build a safer and more prosperous society. Your generosity is deeply appreciated and vital to our ongoing efforts to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve.
Together we can make a difference.
We are committed to supporting Palestinians in need. We thank you in advance for giving and we hope that together we can bring about a more just society.
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Our Blog
Lets Discover Our Blog & News Content Resource
Call to support poor families affected by the war
In the midst of the October 7th War and the Occupation’s brutal assault on the Palestinian people, amid bombing, road closures, and societal and economic destruction in Gaza and the West Bank, we, Al-Manar Organization for Culture and Creativity, launch this appeal. Our goal: to support poor families affected by the war inside the camps, and […]
Al-Manar Culture Society volunteers
Al-Manar Cultural Center volunteers at the organization’s youth forum collectively painted the organization’s walls as part of the weekly activities.
“You Are Not Alone”
Al-Manar Center for Culture and Creativity held a meeting with women on the “You Are Not Alone” project and hosted lawyer Areej Shaheen from the Center for Psychological and Social Counseling. The meeting explored women’s rights, self-advocacy strategies, and the significance of Resolution 1325.