Al-Hayat Al-Mude’a (The Luminous Life)
Brief Description of the Project: As part of the Civic Hackathon project, which is implemented by the Community Development and Continuing Education Institute in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Family Health International (fhi360) within the framework of the Civil Participation and Community Engagement Project (CPCE) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Civic Hackathon project aims to contribute to strengthening the role of social accountability committees and youth councils in decision-making processes by implementing community initiatives to address obstacles to social inclusion and gender equality in the less fortunate communities in the southern West Bank. Responsive community initiatives have been implemented to address community needs identified and agreed upon by active stakeholders in the local community, and this initiative was one of them.
Initiative Summary:
- Location: Masafer Bani Naim
- Implementation Date: May 25, 2023- July 15, 2023
- Executors: Social Accountability Committee/ Bani Naim
- Problem and Intervention: A pressure and advocacy campaign was designed and implemented to shed light on marginalized areas in the town, particularly the Masafer Bani Naim region. The aim was to reduce the risks faced by residents, including women, children, the elderly, and people with special needs. The area faced challenging conditions due to the lack of nighttime street lighting, especially since it is a remote region away from the town center and has not received adequate attention, despite being considered a beautiful destination for many residents for activities such as hiking, climbing, and exploration. The initiative promoted awareness of the issue using various tools to ensure improvements in lighting conditions. Workshops, discussions, and accountability sessions were conducted to exert pressure on decision-makers to enhance services in the area.
Main activities/outputs:
- A preparatory session between the initiative team and the Bani Naim municipality to discuss and develop a comprehensive plan for implementing the initiative.
- Organizing a meeting bringing together residents of the Masafer Bani Naim area, the municipality, and civil society institutions to discuss the lighting problem in the region. The aim is to propose sustainable future solutions.
- Conducting an awareness campaign emphasizing the importance of preserving public property and promoting citizenship principles.
- Procuring and installing lamp models as part of the initiative’s efforts to address the lighting issue in the Masafer Bani Naim area.
