ActionAid Palestine to Support Initiative of Youth Group "Ru’ya" in Promoting Reading among Children and Youth in Al Dahria town

Occupied Palestinian Territory-Hebron Governorate- With support from ActionAid Palestine, the Ru’ya Youth Group, an active youth group based in the town of Al-Dahria in southern Hebron, launched a community initiative called “Knowledge Corner” in the old town of town of Al-Dahria. The initiative aims to create positive changes in the local community and strengthen the role of young people in building a sustainable cultural and educational environment.

This initiative came as a response to a pressing need in the community, including the lack of interest in reading and lack of free, accessible spaces for young people to learn. It also aims to revive the old town and turn it into a vibrant cultural hub that serves students and encourages community participation.

The idea of the initiative is to prepare a space in the old town and turn it into a free youth library. It includes a variety of books such as stories, novels, and cultural books, as well as stationery supplies for school and university students.

The idea of “Knowledge Corner” was born out of group discussions within Ru’ya Youth Group. The members noticed that many students lacked quiet and suitable places to read and study. They saw the old town—with its cultural and historical value—as the perfect location to host a knowledge-based project that connects the past to the present and brings back the spirit of reading and volunteerism among youth.

Samah Samamrah, one of the team members leading the initiative, said:

“The main goal of the ‘Knowledge Corner’ initiative is to promote a culture of reading among children and youth in the  town of Al-Dahria y offering them  a free library where they can access a wide range of books in a supportive and encouraging space. We also aim to create a quality library in the old town that is open to all and serves as a cultural hub. Through this initiative, we hope to encourage visits to the old town and bring it to life again through cultural activities that increase community engagement. We are also working to attract more volunteers to the Ru’ya group and to promote teamwork and community service. In addition, we want to improve young people's reading skills so they can take part in competitions like the Arab Reading Challenge. One of our goals is to offer a safe and free space for students to read and borrow books, which helps ease their financial burden. Lastly, we aim to discover young talents in reading and culture and help them join future knowledge-based initiatives that strengthen their role in society.”

Nesma Samamrah, also one of the team leaders, added:

“This initiative helped establish the foundation for a free library for youth and students, created a new space for volunteers to gather and carry out their activities, and helped us discover young talents in reading and culture and guide them toward promising future initiatives.”

The “Knowledge Corner” initiative is a great example of how young people—when supported by civil society organizations like ActionAid Palestine—can make a real, positive difference in their communities and bring back the value of reading and culture in everyday life.

About ActionAid International

ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people living in more than 72 of the world's poorest countries. We envision a world characterized by justice and sustainability, where every individual has the right to a dignified life and freedom, and a world free from poverty and oppression. We strive to achieve social justice, gender equality, and eradicate poverty.

ActionAid Palestine began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to enjoy freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs through its engagement with Palestinian communities and youth and women’s groups, aiming to empower women and youth and enhance their active civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective action to address the rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation, in addition to improving their leadership capacity and practicing their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers accountable.

For more information, please contact:

Riham Jafari 

Communication and Advocacy Officer at ActionAid Palestine 

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org