EVS report from Claire Wright, Edinburgh.

Claire is volunteering with Project Hope in Nablus, Palestine as part of the EVS programme. If you would like to do something similar or want any information, please email us!

I came to Nablus, Palestine, in May 2008 to volunteer with Project Hope, a Canadian NGO and I received funding from EVS for a 6 month stay. As a design graduate from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, I am giving art classes to children in and around Nablus, teaching them art basics, collage, photography and sculpture. The main aim of the art classes is to provide a fun and relaxing environment for the children and I have had a great response from them; the expressive qualities of art have been a good way for the children to release some of their emotions and energies. I also give craft classes to women and children in the refugee camps and I am in the process of setting up an art project, involving local women using traditional Palestinian embroidery, which I hope to continue working on when I return to Scotland.

Project Hope is a very active organisation within Nablus, which has a great team of local staff and volunteers. By coming here I am supporting Project Hope to continue to provide essential educational and peace opportunities to the children of Nablus and surrounding areas. It is invaluable to the communities that such a wider range of classes (from French to First Aid) can be offered by local and international volunteers. I also feel that international presence is very important as we become observers of the military occupation and its affect on everyday life, therefore, we can draw on our experiences to raise awareness of these issues when we return to our home countries.