Dear all,
my name is Ekhlas and I am living in a refugee camp in Bethlehem, Palestine. I am bound to a wheelchair due to muscular atrophy and therefore I am in constant need of volunteers to assist and support me in my daily life with tasks I cannot do independently. So what does it mean to become one of my volunteers? You will be staying in a Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem. Over the past
years I have had more than a hundred volunteers and it has always been extremely important to me that my house does not only serve as your accomodation but as your home. You will support me in daily tasks such as getting dressed, cooking, grocery shopping etc. Just because I am bound to a wheelchair does not mean I am staying in the house all day long. I love going out, visiting my family, having a coffee or shopping at the old town market of Bethlehem. Furthermore I really enjoy painting and I am teaching Arabic to foreigners as well as offering cooking classes for traditional Palestinian dishes. Sounds nice, but you want to know what you can expect from me? You are offered FREE accomodation, food and Arabic lessons. But most of all: an amazing opportunity to experience Palestinian life and culture and of course you will have free time to travel for example to the Dead Sea, Jericho and explore some of the oldest and historic sights of the Middle East. There is no explicit duration of volunteering with me. But I prefer volunteers to stay at least three weeks or even longer. If you are studying international relations, Arabic, social work or something similar, I am also offering you a reference or a recommendation letter which you can use to benefit your studies. So if you are ready for a unique experience in a region that has to offer you so much more than "holyness", please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I know that there might be many questions left, from the definition of a refugee camp over safety concerns to what life in Palestine is like. Feel free to ask me anything that comes to your mind! I am looking forward to hearing from you! Ekhlas
P.S.: On this page you may already find some of your questions answered. Me and my volunteers will try to give you a lively impression of what awaits you here in Palestine. Soon we will add some contacts of former volunteers. Feel free to contact them and ask them about their experiences.
