The Reality
In the urban sprawl of cities, impoverished villages and refugee camps, there are few public areas that are clean and safe for families to gather and for children to play.
Municipalities in Palestine and Lebanon are short of funds for every service, and often provide parks and playgrounds are low on their priority lists. More often than not, children end up playing in the streets or trash-filled fields.
Refugee camps, new and old, Syrian or Palestinian, are crowded places. In the concrete labyrinths of the 70+ year old Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Palestine, all spaces are in use. So, the work Anera does is renovation and upgrading of what is there, whether it's a community sports facility and field or a playground attached to a school.
Syrian refugee camps are new and often in areas where there is land nearby or they may be near Lebanese villages that have recreational areas. Anera creates new spaces for fun and sports or renovates existing spaces, which benefit all communities.
Anera's Response
Anera partners with local municipalities, nonprofit organizations and schools to upgrade existing parks, playgrounds and sports facilities or to identify areas suitable for adding new recreational spaces.
We design and renovate these spaces integral in the communities surrounding them. Whether a playground attached to a preschool, a sports field in a crowded camp or a sports facility in an impoverished area, these spaces bring recreational outlet where it’s most needed.
In many communities across Palestine, Anera built their first ever parks. Um Salamuna is one such community in the West Bank. Before Anera's intervention, residents had to travel 12 kilometers to Bethlehem where the nearest park was located. The new park has a playground, a multipurpose room, a small amphitheater, handicap-accessible bathrooms, family seating areas, and colorful murals with uplifting, positive messages. In Jericho, we built a new club for all kinds of activities and fun.
Some communities have existing sports facilities and spaces, but they are in bad need of upgrades or complete overhauls. In Lebanon, Anera has improved the facilities in the Palestinian refugee camps of Nahr El Bared, Ein El Hilweh and Beddawi. We upgraded the oldest, biggest sports club in Palestine. Anera also renovated a park and sports center in the middle area of Gaza.
Anera leads the way in working with preschools across Palestine. We have built or renovated over 10% of schools. Playgrounds are a part of every upgrade or new construction. These little areas provide safe, fun playground equipment to the preschoolers and, often, children in the surrounding areas.
How It Works
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Consultation
Consult with the municipality and identify a plot of land in an area that needs recreation space.
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Design
Design parks and playgrounds, landscaped with benches and eco-friendly plants and trees.
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Construction
Hire and oversee the work to construct the park or playground.
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Maintenance
Monitor the maintenance and upkeep of the park or playground.Â