The living conditions of mentally disabled people in Palestine are difficult. The military occupation aggravates an already delicate situation. In this situation of extreme violence and tension, the most vulnerable are the most forgotten. Who knows the life of a disabled person in a camp refugees? Or the difficulty of explaining to a person with a disability mental how to respect the rules of passage to the checkpoints? Palestinian society is also poorly aware of the value of people with disabilities. A lot remain hidden in their families, or are mocked or abused when they go out. They face discrimination in many areas, such as education or employment.
Despite the difficulties and the tense situation in Palestine, people are living together, facing the hard life. This project is about Developing the Outreach program in the country since we at Ma’an lil-Hayat makes sure to spread our mission in the society and makes a different thoughts about people with disability.

Ma’an lil-Hayat has had a great impact on the wider society in many different ways:

  • Offering a meal for the Chemotherapy session at the Hospital Twice a week by two assistants and  two core members:

One of our long-term core members, was diagnosed in April 2016 with cancer.  As she went through chemotherapy for six months at the Governmental hospital in Bethlehem, she was accompanied by one of our assistants.  Given that the hospital does not provide meals for the patients, we decided to start offering a snack once a week hoping to increase the no. of days in the coming future.Because of the need and the meaningful result from the first year ,we decided to increase the visits to two visits in a week .For the visits ,we offer sandwiches and a fruit with a soft drink to the patients and those who accompany them. The meals are donated by Ma’an lil-Hayat, the assistants and core members at ma’an, friends of Ma’an, restaurants in the area… etc.   Two of our assistants with two of our core members go to the hospital to serve the food there. It is not just helping the patients there but also spreading the L’Arche mission by showing the society that people with Intellectual disables are able to help others, and we opened the way for local people to participate and donate.

After two years of this participation, it’s clear that this is a creative way to share our mission and bring joy to others. Through our visits to the hospital, more and more people got to know more about Ma’an lil-Hayat /L’Arche Bethlehem.

  • Visiting the Malja Once a week by two assistants and three core members:

Since its establishment, Ma’an lil-Hayat has been committed to a unique form of community outreach to people with disabilities in a local residential institution, The Four Homes of Mercy (the malja) in Bethany. This commitment is the fruit of L’Arche International’s long history of faithfulness to a number of residents at the malja. A team of two assistants and  three people with disabilities from Ma’an lil-Hayat spend one day per week at the malja visiting and animating activities with a group of our friends there, approximately 10 people, most of whom have severe disabilities. Among other things, this project enables the people with disabilities from Ma’an to use their gifts and abilities to help people who are “less-able” than they are and to recognize that their presence and friendship are of great value.

  • Numerous local and international guests visit our community. The welcoming environment and joyful atmosphere offer an alternative view of people with intellectual disabilities who are often marginalized and looked down upon in society. Day-to-day life at Ma’an lil-Hayat introduces visitors to core members’ great capacity for welcome and friendship, among other qualities, and contributes to encouraging visitors to see the person first, rather than the disability.
  • Ma’an lil-Hayat has entered into partnerships with a number of local universities who now send some of their students every semester for an internship experience. The students come from a variety of fields – special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, business, etc. This exposure contributes to changing the habitual negative view of people with disabilities within the wider society.
  • Since its establishment, Ma’an lil-Hayat has been committed to a unique form of community outreach to people with disabilities in a local residential institution (malja) in Bethany. This commitment is the fruit of L’Arche International’s long history of faithfulness to a number of residents at the malja. A team of two assistants and two core members from Ma’an lil-Hayat spend one day per week at the malja visiting and animating activities with a group of our friends there, approximately 10 people, most of whom have severe disabilities. Among other things, this project enables the core members from Ma’an to use their gifts and abilities to help people who are “less-able” than they are and to recognize that their presence and friendship are of great value.
  • Ma’an lil-Hayat offers a snack twice a week to patients at the chemotherapy outpatient unit and those who accompany them at Al-Hussein Governmental Hospital in Bethlehem. Given that the hospital does not provide snacks for the patients, two of our assistants and two of our core members have been visiting these patients and bringing them sandwiches, fruit, and drinks. After three years of visiting the hospital, it’s clear that this is a creative way to share our mission and bring joy to others. The cost of these snacks is covered by donations from local people and friends as well as Ma’an lil-Hayat members.