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The Olive Press

Meet Mandy: A Palestinian Engineer in Gaza

by Anera

Mar 8, 2022

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In light of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, engineer Mandy Abu Kombouz talks to us about her life as a female engineer in Gaza. Standing before the school in a white hard hat and orange safety vest, Mandy Abu Kombouz is 27 years old, veiled, proud, and the only female Palestinian engineer on…

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An Interview with Sandy Boutros on International Women’s Day

by Anera

Mar 8, 2022

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This interview with Sandy Boutros, the founder and director of Koun, is the first in our new series highlighting Arab youth change-makers. Read the second piece in the series here. Why Koun? Tell us about yourself and your organization. Koun is an impact-led organization that strongly believes in the power of the mind, and one’s…

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What Is Zakat?

by Anera

Dec 16, 2021

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Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, is a donation that Muslims regard as a mandatory act within their faith. Followers of Islam who have at least a minimum amount of wealth are required to give 2.5% of their liquid assets away to charity each year. The aid should be given to the poor, travelers in…

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From Gaza to Europe and Back Again

Dec 14, 2021

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Ibrahim Najjar is Anera’s project coordinator and agronomist in Gaza. I am 34 years old and this was my first trip outside Gaza. So you can imagine my excitement. First stop: France. I was traveling with a colleague, a friend from another NGO, and after some hassles at Egypt’s main airport, we were off to…

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Announcing the Winners of our Refugee Art Contest!

by Anera

Nov 30, 2021

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The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. The winner of our #RefugeesShareHope art contest is Abdul Kafi Wasfi Al-Hosni, a Syrian refugee living in Lebanon. Pictured above, Al-Hosni’s work responded to Anera’s call for artists to submit poems, photography, paintings or drawings that represent how they are giving back to their communities. The contest…

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Falling Through the Social Safety Net in Lebanon

Nov 10, 2021

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Government social safety net programs provide healthcare, health insurance, retirement funds, disability payments, education, and other welfare services to people. The social safety net system has always been weak in Lebanon, but due to the economic and financial crisis it barely functions, and many forms of support are nonexistent. Even before gaining independence from France…

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4 Reasons to Care About Humanitarian Funding Needs in 2021

by Anera

Aug 18, 2021

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Humanitarian funding provides vulnerable groups the resources they need to restore a happy, healthy state of life. Around the world, people need a helping hand following natural disasters and political unrest. The aid they receive thanks to humanitarian funding serves many vital purposes. Humanitarian aid can save lives in times of crisis, and it can…

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Something Needs to Change

May 25, 2021

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“But we cannot move on with the news. Now is the time when people all over the world must come together to support Palestinian communities.”

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Learning about Palestine

by Anera

May 18, 2021

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From movies and literature to blogs and informative news sources, there is a lot of information out there about Palestine and the current situation. We have put together a short list of some of our favorites. Whether you’re just getting started or have worked in Palestine for years, we hope there’s something for you in…

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Palestinian Culture

by Anera

Mar 22, 2021

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Palestinians enjoy a rich cultural heritage. The Palestinian people have lived through enormous upheaval over the course of the last century. Many Palestinians have been dispersed and displaced from their family homes, villages and cities, making Palestinian culture and traditions even more important for holding this community together. Whether in ancestral towns or in refugee…

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