EDUCATION
A Decade of Anera’s Work in Deir Qaddis
Nov, 2021
Over the years, Anera's supporters have built a growing legacy of improving access to education and water in Deir Qaddis.
After more than 50 years of working in Palestine, it’s fair to say that Anera projects have touched virtually every community here. Any given town or village may have many examples of Anera’s interventions through the years – from schools and parks to reservoirs and wholesale markets. Deir Qaddis is one of those villages.
Deir Qaddis is an ancient village located about ten miles northwest of the city of Ramallah. Most of the 2,500 residents depend on agriculture, livestock, and small businesses for their livelihood. Over 90% of Deir Qaddis falls within Area C, under full Israeli jurisdiction, which limits the village's ability to attract economic investment, build additional housing or commercial real estate, or improve agricultural infrastructure. So, like many other villages in the West Bank, the local municipality struggles to maintain good public services for its residents.
Over the course of the last decade, Anera has helped Deir Qaddis residents get better access to education and water.
2021: The Leila Tarazi Meyer Kindergarten
Up until 2021, Deir Qaddis had only two kindergarten classrooms, which were attached to schools serving older children. There was space for just 50 preschoolers – far short of the need. That is all changing with the new preschool Anera is building in the village.
The new, free-standing preschool will have three classrooms and a large playground area – something the current classrooms do not have. Its architecture follows Anera’s proven designs from other preschools, creating roomy, well-lit and airy spaces that inspire learning and activity. Anera also provides custom-made children’s furniture and an abundance of resources for learning and play.
In the winter, 75 preschool children will begin studying in their beautiful, brand new school.
2015: Deir Qaddis Grammar School
Right near the Leila Tarazi Meyer Kindergarten is the Deir Qaddis Grammar School. In 2015, Anera added and equipped nine new rooms, including classrooms, a science lab and library. Overcrowding in Deir Qaddis had been a problem for some time before Anera’s intervention. The additional space allowed the school to enroll more students. It went from being a girls’ school to being co-ed. One hundred boys transferred from other, more distant schools, easing space issues and creating a more nurturing, healthier school environment for everyone. Some 300 local students now attend the school.
2011: Deir Qaddis Reservoir
Water is always a challenge in Palestine and Deir Qaddis is no exception. The Islamic Bank financed the rehabilitation of the village water network in 2005. But there still was a need for reliable water storage. In 2011, Anera built an elevated 3,740-gallon reservoir to complete the village’s drinking water network. The reservoir helps offset the high demand for water, especially during summer months.
