This article was written as part of the Sharing for Empowerment project organized by the Lithuanian Center for Equality Advancement. Retaj women attended project workshops in Lithuania in September 2015.
For Palestinian women in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, one of the basic human rights – the right to freedom of movement – is denied by a complex system of physical obstacles, administrative barriers, and restrictive social norms. Continue reading
With the summer camp in full swing, one of the workshops the children are attending is dancing the traditional Palestinian dabkeh.
Here’s how:
Palestinian dabkeh at Asira children’s summer camp from Retaj Asira on Vimeo.
Summer camps in Palestine are a time when children gather together in an informal environment for a week or two during summer holidays.
This week more than 100 Asira’s children are enjoying such a camp, organized by Retaj. They are attending various workshops and learning by non-formal education methods – games, role plays, creative and sports workshops.
On Saturday 25th April Retaj children gathered in Nablus to participate in a graduation show organized by Music Harvest, where they presented songs the children themselves have written and recorded.
All the songs created by children and teenagers at five cultural centres in Nablus can be found online here with free download available.
Palestine Lovers is a song by Retaj children:
It was museum day for Retaj children today. They visited three: Abu Jihad Museum for Prisoners Affairs, Science Museum, and Meet Math Museum, all located in the premises of Al-Quds University campus in Abu Dis, near occupied Jerusalem.
16% of every Israeli product bought goes directly to support the occupation army which attacks Palestinians on a daily basis. Buying Israeli products means financially supporting the occupation.
The crew of Asira TV take to the village streets to find out whether local shops stock Israeli produce:
Having outsmarted the rain, children of Asira today were busy bubbling. Using home-made tools (dish-washing liquid, water, sugar, baking powder, glycerin, rope, and sticks) they created colorful flying soap bubbles… and a huge mess in the Retaj center. Lots of fun and beautiful childhood moments.
The playful activity was carefully documented by dedicated photojournalists and film-makers from the Asira Retaj Children Team. Here:
Continue reading
لقد أمتلأت شوارع قرية عصيرة القبلية (جنوبي مدينة نابلس، فلسطين) بالشاحنات التي تحمل الحجارة لعدة أشهر، وخلقت المشاكل المرورية والتي تشكل خطرا على تلاميذ المدارس الذين، يميلون إلى اللعب في شوارع القرية التي تفتقر إلى المرافق المناسبة،. واستمرار تدفق الشاحنات من وإلى المحجر القريب أيضا يلوث الهواء ويسبب صعوبات في التنفس للمرضى وكبار السن، والأطفال.
هذا هو التقرير الأول للفيديو الذي أدلى به أبناء عصيرة الذين يحضرون ورش عمل الفيديو في مركز المجتمع المحلي ريتاج.
ترقب.
The streets of Asira al-Qibliya village (south of Nablus, Palestine) have been filled with stone-carrying trucks for several months, creating traffic problems and posing danger to schoolchildren who, lacking proper amenities, tend to play in the street. The constant flow of trucks to and from the nearby quarry also pollutes the air and causes breathing difficulties for the sick, the elderly, and the children.
This is the first video report made by children of Asira who attend video workshops at the local community center Retaj.
Stay tuned.
“Sourini, sourini!”
On a sunny January afternoon children of Asira had a workshop on how to use the camera for pictures and video. Quick to learn, they got some very creative results..
Retaj Foundation of Palestinian Women 