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News from Ma'an Lil-Hayat
Ma’an Lil-Hayat community holds safeguarding meeting

BETHLEHEM – On October 23, 2023, Ma’an Lil-Hayat held a meeting to discuss its safeguarding policy…

Message from Ma’an Lil-Hayat about recent political situation in Holy Land

Dear friends and supporters, We hope that you are doing well! The situation in Palestine and…

Ma’an Lil-Hayat concludes Tabgha trip and summer camp

GALILEE – From July 24-29, 2023, Ma’an Lil-Hayat participated in a trip and summer camp in…

Ma’an Lil-Hayat participates in World Youth Day in Portugal

LISBON, Portugal – On July 30, our assistant Elen and core member Reem alongside board member…

L’Arche Bethlehem delegate pair participate in International Federation Assembly of L’Arche

From June 20-24, the International Federation Assembly of L’Arche took place entirely online on Zoom platform….

L’Arche Bethlehem bids farewell to Kholoud

Last week, the core members, assistants, and staff of L’Arche Bethlehem came together and said goodbye…

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Ma'an Lil-Hayat in Dar Salah
In response to our growing awareness of the needs of people with disabilities in the area and the ever-increasing number of names of people waiting to be welcomed into our community, we opened a second day program in September 2016 in a village on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Ma’an Lil-Hayat in Dar Salah was founded by four long-term core members (people with intellectual disabilities) and two assistants from Ma’an Bethlehem. Today, there are ten core members and three assistants, along with numerous volunteers and student interns who form this satellite community. The beginnings of this project are quite remarkable. When the village council of Dar Salah learned that we were hoping to open a center in the village, the head of the council offered us a recently renovated house to use rent-free for the following few years.

Ma’an Lil-Hayat (Together for Life) is the first and only community project in Palestine that brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities to engage in creative textile-arts activities and share daily life together. Founded in August 2009, in Bethlehem, Ma’an lil-Hayat is a member of the International Federation of L’Arche Communities, created in 1964 in France (see www.larche.org). Members of Ma’an Lil-Hayat use the wool of Bethlehem sheep to make felted wool ornaments, nativity scenes, and other unique gift items. The raw wool is purchased from women shepherds in a village on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

Ma’an Lil-Hayat seeks to affirm and empower people with intellectual disabilities in their claim to adulthood. Meaningful, challenging activities encourage a sense of personal responsibility and genuine participation in the building of civil society.

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