About the project
The Enrichment Center for East Jerusalem is located in the Central Arab Library in Wadi El-Joz, and serves over a 1,000 Arab school children who attend schools in the Old City. The center provides a number of after school activities that keep the children busy and off the streets.
Each activity at the center has its own “corner”, the “Creation Corner” where children can explore their creativity using an assortment of arts and craft materials, eventually taking home their creations, The “Reading Corner” is furnished with large comfortable bean bags and cushions for those who just want to sit quietly and read, There’s a “Television Corner” and a general recreation center where children can play with each other or play games. By far the most important corner must be the “Computer Corner” where 15 computer terminals with free internet access is available for both educational and recreational use, with of course supervision from library staff and the Perach volunteers.
Computer courses for adults are held in the morning, with a play area available for kindergarten children, and the afternoon courses are for the children.
The computers are supplied by the “Machshava Tova” organization, whose goal is to bridge the digital divide among the different socio-economic groups by providing computers and teachers to those who most need it.
The Volunteers at the center are part of the “Perach Program” which is a nationwide organization that uses University students to assist younger pupils in both educational and social needs.
This project is the result of a partnership between The Jerusalem Foundation, Machshava Tova Organization, the Perach Organization, the Municipality, and the Municipal Library Department.
