LOCATION: Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem Governorate
The Aida Youth Activities Center improves living conditions for inhabitants of Bethlehem’s Aida Refugee Camp, many of whom lost their jobs as a result of the separation wall. The organization runs a recreational center that is home to one of the best soccer teams in the West Bank. Before participating in the Community Leadership Empowerment Program’s strategic planning process, the center would regularly host international visitors. In the hope of inspiring donations, the center’s staff would tell visitors about unemployment, poverty and a lack of opportunities for children. As a result of the strategic planning process, the center has established routine door-to-door surveys throughout the camp to assess the community’s actual needs. The center uses these findings to maintain current records of community needs and translate these into proposals targeting international donors.