Bedouin villages in the Negev

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Observers: 
Yehudit K (reporting), Muhammad D, Nurit G, Smadar B, Adir from Shderot, Shelly N and a group of women and girls from the project; Translator: Natanya
Jul-14-2019
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Morning

After the morning shift at the checkpoint (see report 14.07.19), we were invited by the MachsomWatch member and old friend, Sheli N., who teaches Hebrew to Bedouin women and girls under the Ryan program. Employment in Arab society through comprehensive intervention at the individual, community, region, and employers level. The program was established by the Government of Israel and the Joint Israel in order to create a comprehensive social change in employment in Arab society. This is achieved through comprehensive intervention at the individual, community, region and employers level.

Ryan centers in the south are spread in the Bedouin communities in the Negev and serve the majority of the Bedouin population in the south. The centers treat women and men over the age of 18 who do not participate in the labor market, work at work that does not fit their skills or people who are employed in underemployment. The centers operate at both the local and regional levels, as employment anchors, providing employment and career advice and guidance: employment orientation, vocational training, perseverance and job promotion.

The event that morning was the festive end of the school year, and an opportunity for students to practice Hebrew, and us to practice Arabic. It should be noted that the students were far more advanced than we were, and that after only one school year! There were 15 students and another we and Iman the local organisor,  a very impressive woman. After a general discussion we split up into smaller groups to talk intimately and exchange personal experiences, talk about family, and work and also hopes for the future - each one of the students hoping  to further studies. Iman said that although the level of English learning is reasonable in the Bedouin education system, the level of Hebrew learning is deficient, so the lessons with Shelley were very important.

The event  at that morning was one in which  the atmosphere was very cordial and everyone was so happy to exchange languages and it is to be  hoped that there will be further acquaintance with the group. The town of Kseife is one of the seven towns established in the 1970s and 1980s to concentrate and relocate the Bedouin population from their land. Although it has a strong population, there is also poverty and  great gaps between different groups, services which are not good and of course home demolition and inability to obtain building permits for the second generation. The town is located close to Route 31 in the direction of Arad.