Micah Project:
Domari Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem, Jerusalem. www.domarisociety.com & the ‘Domari Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem’ Facebook page.
The Domari Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem was founded in 1999 by Amoun Sleem, a Gypsy who has lived in the community her entire life and knows its needs well. She has seen and experienced first-hand the severe discrimination, cultural marginalization, poverty, and adult illiteracy that the gypsies in this area face. The adult Domari population remains largely illiterate because a lot of children drop out of school as a result of discrimination from teachers and other students. It was these issues and a desire to affect change that moved Amoun to action. She started this organization to advance and empower the Gypsy community and preserve its unique cultural heritage through programmes that provide economic empowerment, child development, and women’s support. Working at the grassroots level, the center seeks to serve the social, cultural, and educational needs of the surrounding Domari people, a community who have lived in Jerusalem for over 400 years and due to marginalisation, discrimination and the Arab-Israeli conflict have dwindled to approx 1,000 people.
In 2005, The Domari Society opened a community center in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shu’fat. The center provides after-school tutoring, job skills training, literacy courses, humanitarian aid, and programmes that foster cultural pride. Further, as a part of its mission of women’s empowerment, the center produces and sells traditional Gypsy handicrafts, including embroidery, jewelry, pottery, and handbags, to encourage economic independence and improve quality of life. The community center and Domari Society in general are funded by donations from individuals and organizations, as well as through the sale of their handicrafts which can be viewed on the ‘Domari Society Handicrafts’ Facebook page.
The Director, Amoun Sleem appeals to Micah68 Supporters: ‘Your aid can change the fate of Domari children in Jerusalem. Please, help us face this challenge’.
Micah Target for 2017
To raise £1000.00 towards the food bank, which is distributed to the poorest of Domari families on a weekly basis, so helping the most vulnerable of the community. Also towards school bags for the children of the Donari community. Will you and your friends help to raise money towards this very important target? Click below for fundraising ideas.
Accumulator: £0.00 so far! The 2016 target of £1,000 was achieved, and handed over personally in July 2016, after generous donations from individuals and several churches. Photos of the event were uploaded to the Micah68 Facebook group. This donation added to the previous three donations that have been made to the Domari Centre work, which is brilliant!
Micah Project Advocate:
Travelling with Ian to Jerusalem will give you an opportunity to visit the centre, meet Amoun and some of the volunteers, see the handicrafts that the community makes, and hear their story. Also you will stay in the Old City on the Via Dolorosa, visit some of the historic Christian, Muslim and Jewish sites, as well as eating the best pizza in Israel (so Anwar says). You come back with the task of spreading the word about this strategic centre work – and helping achieve a higher target for the next year!
