December 10, 2009

One of the first things that I noticed when I got into Nablus was the garbage in the streets and vacant lots and parks and schools and stuck in the trees and basically in most places you can see. So I proposed an activity through Project Hope to take a group of kids to pick up trash and to make art from some of what we find. Today marked the first day of this project, which is taking place in Askar Refugee Camp.

When I first showed up at Al-Safeer, the center where I'm holding this, I was worried about where we would go to pick up trash.  I asked Abu Ahed, my liaison at the center and colleague helping with all of the art projects I’m helping with in Askar, where we should work.  He confidently assured me that he knew exactly the place to go, and after a brief introduction with a group of extremely rambunctious nine-to-fourteen-year-old girls, off we went.
We crossed the street and went down a narrow alley, emerging into a large grove of olive trees.
The ground beneath our feet was practically oozing with garbage.  A small flock of sheep grazed nearby, and at one point their hooves slipped on the piles garbage as they scurried around the children.  A group of chickens ran amok, sporadically pecking through the plastic.
Abu Ahed spread his hands as if to say, 'this is it!'  I looked around and it took me a moment to take in the full scene before me.  A tight row of houses were on my left and the biggest area of garbage was directly in front of them. 
Part of the pile was charred as if someone had tried to burn it.  Abu Ahed began pointing and explaining, and Obada translated.  First he showed me the Elon Moreh settlement atop a distant hill, complete with a watchtower.  Then he gestured to the houses closest to us, pointing out the bullet holes made by the settlers.
He said they had powerful weapons and were able to shoot the houses of the refugee camp from their settlement on the hilltop.  He then proceeded to point to a girl in the class.  Her grandmother had been shot and killed by settlers from Elon Moreh.  Another girl raised her hand.  It seems her sister was killed by those settlers as well.  Abu Ahed said he has been startled by gunfire in his house many times in the middle of the night and ended up running out to the street, disoriented and frightened. 
Apparently if any refugees walk too far in the direction of the settlement, there are retaliations.
Taking in this new information, I struggled to find words.  I managed to croak out the Islamic phrase for 'May they rest in peace' (although it translates into 'may God have mercy on them).  Abu Ahed disappeared for a few minutes and came back with some Arabic coffee for Obada and me.  The girls were quiet for a bit, and then we commenced to working.  In less than an hour, we had filled up every bag that I brought and so had to stop. 
December 22, 2009
Last week our class met to make art out of the garbage we collected in the olive field in Askar refugee camp.  The girls were resistant to touching the trash, understandably; some of it was obviously toxic, and most of it was just plain old dirty.  In the end, we had some colorful and cute works of art.  Take a look at the photos!

December 23, 2009

I just got back from another class in Askar, where we headed back to the same olive grove to do more trash collection. The girls in my class are wild! But I've noticed, they have huge hearts and are bursting with potential. I really want them to learn about the environmental impacts of trash, knowledge which appears to be nonexistent at the moment.  I am excited to continue this project in January!

January 16, 2010

This morning I woke up at 7 on the dot, blinking in the morning sun, ready for the big trash collection event at Askar refugee camp.  
I gathered all of the materials that I needed:  trash bags, latex gloves, juice and snacks, and a local volunteer.  We took a taxi together to pick up the guest speakers from the Nablus municipality and rode to Al-Safeer, the children's center where I teach at the camp.  Other volunteers, both local and international, met us at the center.

I was so pleased to see most of the girls from the garbage art class sitting in the front row, waiting, when we walked in.  The room gradually filled to capacity and beyond, and the speakers began.
Their names were Samar Sufan and Jamila Asi, and I didn't understand much of what they said, but the kids were riveted, clamoring to answer the questions they were asked. Afterward, we all walked together to the olive grove and filled dozens of bags with trash, hauling them off to the 'dump' area of the camp.

Here’s what I keep reminding myself about our big trash collection day:  even though we couldn't have possibly cleaned the entire olive grove, everyone learned a lot and had a great time.  After weeks of collecting trash and making art, I think these girls are ready to be stewards for their community, teaching others what they have learned about the importance of a healthy planet.
By: Katie Schuessler