Overview
The Civic Hackathon Project was implemented by the Community Development and Continuing Education Institute (CDCE-I) in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Family Health International Foundation (fhi360) as part of the Civic Participation and Community Engagement (CPCE) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Civic Hackathon project aims to contribute in strengthening the role of community youth committees and councils in Palestinian civil society in local decision-making processes. This involves identifying, analyzing, enhancing, and advocating for effective participation in issues related to social integration and gender equality in the marginalized communities in the southern West Bank. The project focuses on promoting active community participation of women and youth in the targeted areas in topics that are important and prioritized for their communities, with an emphasis on enhancing social integration and gender equality.
The project targeted (24) grassroots groups, including social accountability committees and local youth councils, in (23) marginalized rural communities in the Bethlehem and Hebron governorates in the southern West Bank. Ten social initiatives were executed in each of the Bethlehem and Hebron governorates. Priority was given to social accountability committees and youth councils that have the motivation and readiness to benefit from the project activities as they are representatives of different societal groups, especially women and youth, and as they are perceived to be capable of advocating for their rights and contributing to the achievement of social integration and gender equality for these groups.
Implementation period:
The project was implemented between the 1st of June 2022 to the 31st of August 2023.
Donor:
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Partners:
- Social Accountability Committee – Al Khader
- Youth Local Council – Halhul
- Youth Local Council – Hebron
- Social Accountability Committee – Carmel
- Social Accountability Committee – Beit Awa
- Youth Group – Sikka
- Social Accountability Committee – Al-Samou’
- Social Accountability Committee – Taffouh
- Social Accountability Committee – Bani Naim
- Youth Local Council – Beit Fajjar
- Social Accountability Committee – Al-Ramadin
- Youth Local Council – Sa’ir
- Youth Local Council – Zaatara
- Youth Local Council – Beit Kahil
- Youth Local Council – Sa’ir
- Youth Local Council – Taffouh
Main outputs/outcomes
1- Participation of approximately 84 participants in capacity-building programs implemented during the project.
2- Execution of 14 institutional needs assessments led to the creation and enhancement of two internal procedural manual for grassroots groups.
3- Implementation of 9 institutional capacity-building activities.
4- Execution of 10 community initiatives in the Bethlehem and Hebron regions after development, guidance, and selection processes.
5- Seven documentary videos were produced during the implementation phase to document the initiatives, the project’s launch, and closing events.
6- During the initiative implementation phase, around 41 activities were implemented in various areas, targeting children, youth, people with special needs, and the elderly. These activities included the installation of street benches and street lights in marginalized and populated areas in Hebron, the rehabilitation of educational and youth centers, and the highlighting of important societal issues such as electricity and water.
7- The rehabilitation and empowerment of grassroots groups through providing them with the necessary knowledge and tools to engage in community initiatives that contribute to effective societal solutions.
Quotes “if available”
Mr. Aqeelan Abu Aqeel, the coordinator of the Social Accountability Committee in Al-Samou
”I have gone through many programs and various collaborative projects in my professional life, but I am confident to say that this is the project from which I personally and on behalf of my, community accountability committee, have benefited the most. Thank you from my heart”
Mrs. Asmaa Zeidat, the coordinator of the Social Accountability Committee in Bani Na’im
“The training sessions, especially the initiative-building workshops, had a significant impact on me. They opened my eyes to a greater desire for learning and created new horizons for research, development, and online learning about initiative development.”
