In This Issue:

What is Karama up to: Have a look at Karama's forthcoming projects.

News Section: Get the latest on all things Palestine.

Karama Profiles: Meet some of our members and volunteers.

Frontpage: return to the newsletter frontpage

Volunteer Profile Esther


Hailing from Frankfurt, Germany and answering to her Palestinian name of "Leila," Ester came seeking an unforgettable experience.... read more

Welcome to the Karama Newsletter

What is up in Karama this month?

Winter is now definitely upon us, and with it a reduction in the general activity level in the camp. People try to stay inside, next to their space-heaters, and out of the cold. It hasn't rained very often yet, but frequent icy rainstorms are coming soon. In spite of this, we're staying busy at Karama and it just means that many of our activities will continue to move indoors.


News Flash:
Karama Director Yasser Al-Haj and our volunteer Michael will be traveling to Europe in January 2010 for a series of lectures and fundraising events. If you would like to help plan an event or have information on opportunities to lecture and raise awareness of Karama, send an email to contact@Karama.org.


Our Volunteer Basil has Published a Journal of his Experiences in the West Bank. Download a PDF of his work here.

Changing Seasons in the Garden

Earlier in the month, we began the project of digging up and replanting our garden. We cut back many of the trees and bushes too, which should help maximize the amount of sun that makes it to our new radish, onion, salad, spinach, and cauliflower plants. After the success of our first season of cultivation, we have high hopes for the coming one.

The local children have spent a lot of time preparing the soil and cleaning out the overgrowth, (the rose bushes, in particular, had been left to grow to epic proportions by previous owners), but they don't seem to mind. There is a strong nostalgia amongst many Palestinians of all ages for their lost pastoral heritage, and this is very evident in their collective willingness to put away the football and video games for some old- fashioned farming.

We have the technology...

After a long wait, the opportunity arose to affordably acquire new computers and we leapt at the chance. We are now the proud new owners for 8 modern new computers. There is not space on the internet to describe how much easier everyone life is now compared with working on our previous machines.

Aside from a simple improvement in our quality of life, we now have the primary resources needed to implement computer-based classes using programs like PowerPoint and specialized language learning software. Creating a curriculum based on their use is now are biggest challenge, but the potential benefits are much greater by taking advantage of young people's natural interest in all things computerized.

Party at Karama

Just last week, Karama hosted a party for the children to celebrate the Eid al Adha holiday. Balloons, sweets and plenty of games helped to make the festivities a complete success. The fun started in the morning and went until mid-afternoon. Check out some of the pictures from that day.

The Photo Project

Two other long gestating projects finally began in this recent month. A new photography project was initiated with 5 young teens a week before the Eid holiday. They were each given a disposable camera and a week. Because of Eid, their were given extra time with the chance to include photographs from their own holiday experiences. We're still waiting for a couple cameras and then our volunteer Michael will take them into Bethlehem to be developed.

This is planned as the first in a series of photo sessions with as many different children as possible in Deheishe. The only limiting factor being the cost of disposable cameras and development, which for the moment our volunteers are supplying. As the children become more experienced in the art of photography, they will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to have their images viewed abroad through photo exhibitions. We are hoping that a few of these first photographs will be suitable for use in our first planned exhibitions, which we are planning with past volunteers.

Coming Back from Jordan
by our volunteer Quentin

All had begun well: the road to Amman, the hotel in Amman, and visits in Amman. After 3 nights, neither anxious nor worried, much less stressed, we were returning to Karama!

11 am: Taxi from Amman, until Jordanian border post for non-Arab people, and bus with other tourists to the King Hussein Bridge. It spent like 2 hours for the whole. Then, we pass through the Border by a bridge, setting over a small river, so far, so good...read more



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