Where We Work

Palestinian Territories

Overview

The Near East Foundation (NEF) has worked in the Palestinian Territories since 1995 and has been registered with the Palestinian Authority as an international NGO since 2000. With the support of donors such as the UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, USAID, MEPI, and the Government of Sharjah, NEF has worked in tandem with local and international organizations to implement a range of projects in education, agriculture, environment and youth development. Based in Nablus, NEF-Palestine’s seven-member program staff—all of whom are from the West Bank—includes technical specialists in enterprise, community, and agricultural development. The NEF-Palestine team has cultivated long-term relationships with community organizations and government officials in dozens of villages across the northern West Bank. These enduring partnerships provide NEF with intimate knowledge of vulnerable Palestinian communities and a foundation of trust for mobilizing community action.

In 2008, NEF helped establish the Palestinian Center for Agriculture Research and Development (PCARD), which shares offices with NEF in Nablus. PCARD members include community organizers and prominent technical specialists with whom NEF has collaborated regularly over the past 15 years. Our support to PCARD is part of a long-term strategy to help establish a robust, creative, and highly competent indigenous development NGO.

NEF’s activities in the West Bank have evolved through partnerships with local communities. They are oriented around three core programs: early childhood education and school feeding, support for the olive oil sector, and support for women’s business associations.