Case study 3
Rana (25) is from Tulkarem in the north of the West Bank. She comes from a large family with five brothers and a sister. Her father sadly died some years ago and her mother was left managing the family on her own on very little income.
Rana completed her education at high school but with low grades, so had little prospect of finding a job. Girls who can’t support themselves are often married off but this wasn’t the future that Rana wanted for herself.
She heard about the YMCA’s Vocational Training Centre from a friend and enrolled to study graphic design, electronics and office equipment maintenance. She had to board at the centre’s female boarding house, as it was too difficult to travel each day. The journey time from Jericho to Tulkarem takes much longer now than it did before 2000, because of the number of checkpoints on the way.
Rana did very well at the VTC and graduated in 2008. “I really enjoyed getting to know new people and learning new things. It was a good experience.”.
She has now found a job in Ramallah at a telecommunications company where she’s been working since December 2008. She is living in Ramallah in an apartment with six other girls. Initially she found it difficult being away from her family, but because she boarded at the YMCA centre, the experience has made being away from her family easier. Now she enjoys being in Ramallah and feels she has found her independence. “Without this training I wouldn’t be free. It’s good to not be reliant on anyone else. I help my family when they need it, but I’m able to spend the money I earn how I like.”
These case studies give examples of young women students such as those the DSMT has been sponsoring since 2007 on vocational training programmes run through the East Jerusalem YMCA and the Vocational Training Centre, Jericho.
*In accordance with Y Care International’s Protection of Vulnerable Young People’s Policy, all names of beneficiaries featured in these case studies have been changed.