AJEEC – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development

GOALS
To bring Negev Bedouins to parity with the Jewish sector in all areas of life through Arab-Jewish regional cooperation.

BACKGROUND
Bedouin society in the Negev copes with the challenges of being part of the Palestinian minority in Israel and being forced to abandon nomadic life without access to alternative sources of income. About 60% of the Bedouins in the Negev live below the poverty line and 43% of them are unemployed.

AJEEC runs projects to improve education, develop Bedouin society and strengthen Jewish-Arab cooperation in the Negev. About a year ago, AJEEC was granted funding by the Joint for 12 economic empowerment and employment projects, half for men and half for women to be implemented over three years. The funding covers about 45% of the needed funding, and AJEEC is now applying to NIF to support 4 incipient projects specifically for women for which the funding from the Joint is the only assured source of income.

Highlights

· Three courses in starting wedding-related businesses enrolled about 60 women. The courses covered photography, how to DJ and hairdressing about 80% of the women started    their own small businesses.

· Launching projects for single women on catering and jewelry design.

· Recruiting volunteers to work in the community and providing them with professional training.