What Is Zakat?
by Anera
Dec 16, 2021
Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, is a donation that Muslims regard as a mandatory act within their faith. Followers of Islam who have at least a minimum amount of wealth are required to give 2.5% of their liquid assets away to charity each year. The aid should be given to the poor, travelers in…
Read MoreFrom Gaza to Europe and Back Again
Dec 14, 2021
Ibrahim Najjar is Anera’s project coordinator and agronomist in Gaza. I am 34 years old and this was my first trip outside Gaza. So you can imagine my excitement. First stop: France. I was traveling with a colleague, a friend from another NGO, and after some hassles at Egypt’s main airport, we were off to…
Read MorePalestinian Food Recipes From the Anera Community
by Anera
Dec 9, 2021
As you prepare your breakfast, think of others (do not forget the pigeon’s food). – Mahmoud Darwish As we approach the month of Ramadan — a time when families gather together to break the fast — we are sharing here some of the delicious recipes that have come our way over the years. Recipes passed…
Read MoreAnnouncing the Winners of our Refugee Art Contest!
by Anera
Nov 30, 2021
The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. The winner of our #RefugeesShareHope art contest is Abdul Kafi Wasfi Al-Hosni, a Syrian refugee living in Lebanon. Pictured above, Al-Hosni’s work responded to Anera’s call for artists to submit poems, photography, paintings or drawings that represent how they are giving back to their communities. The contest…
Read MoreFalling Through the Social Safety Net in Lebanon
Nov 10, 2021
Government social safety net programs provide healthcare, health insurance, retirement funds, disability payments, education, and other welfare services to people. The social safety net system has always been weak in Lebanon, but due to the economic and financial crisis it barely functions, and many forms of support are nonexistent. Even before gaining independence from France…
Read More4 Reasons to Care About Humanitarian Funding Needs in 2021
by Anera
Aug 18, 2021
Humanitarian funding provides vulnerable groups the resources they need to restore a happy, healthy state of life. Around the world, people need a helping hand following natural disasters and political unrest. The aid they receive thanks to humanitarian funding serves many vital purposes. Humanitarian aid can save lives in times of crisis, and it can…
Read MoreAnera Reads
by Anera
Jun 8, 2021
What we’re reading These are some of our staff’s favorite books that give some context to life, history and culture in the countries where we work: Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. We also feature some writings that describe the experiences of refugees and other communities related to those we serve in the Middle East that may…
Read MoreSomething Needs to Change
by Liz Demarest
May 25, 2021
“But we cannot move on with the news. Now is the time when people all over the world must come together to support Palestinian communities.”
Read MoreLearning about Palestine
by Anera
May 18, 2021
From movies and literature to blogs and informative news sources, there is a lot of information out there about Palestine and the current situation. We have put together a short list of some of our favorites. Whether you’re just getting started or have worked in Palestine for years, we hope there’s something for you in…
Read MorePalestinian Culture
by Anera
Mar 22, 2021
Palestinians enjoy a rich cultural heritage. The Palestinian people have lived through enormous upheaval over the course of the last century. Many Palestinians have been dispersed and displaced from their family homes, villages and cities, making Palestinian culture and traditions even more important for holding this community together. Whether in ancestral towns or in refugee…
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