Back to Tubas!

We have been continuing to work with Tubas Charitable Society (TCS) with our now good friend Ikram, helping her research donors and write funding proposals. I don’t think we will ever tire of the drive there – the views as you wind through the Jordan Valley are absolutely incredible.

In the latter weeks we have been given the opportunity to develop the English language capacity of TCS staff. Initially, we were both a bit nervous as to how the first lesson would go. We spent some time at WCLAC planning an introductory lesson with the aim of getting to know the ladies more and assessing their level of English. We made sure the discussions were as interactive and as relaxed as possible; playing icebreaker games and discussing a variety of topics such as family, culture, education, employment, politics and healthcare. The planning seemed to pay off and, with the help of our in country team leader Ruba (it was very useful to have an Arabic translator at times), we had a great time. The women all seemed to be really keen to develop their skills and were engaged in the topics, giving us positive feedback at the end, which was really rewarding. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the women better and learning about each other’s cultures. It was a highlight for me. We have been asked to come back and deliver a session on international politics so we shall see how that one goes…

Aside from the teaching and the ad hoc editing with Ikram, we were lucky enough to be invited to an event at TCS to celebrate International Women’s Day. We listened to many women speaking of their experiences, sharing their stories and advocating for women’s rights. Some of the speeches were truly moving, reducing many people in the room to tears. The Governor of Tubas attended the event, recognising and commending all the women’s truly admirable work. He presented each woman with a cactus as a token of his gratitude towards her; the cactus being symbolic of patience, something deeply intertwined and practised in these women’s lives.

Sadly our project is nearing the end however we look forward to a final visit to Tubas this week and our final few days at WCLAC – the time has gone far too fast!