This year’s course projects:
African studies in Schools Project
In this program, BGU students teach an overview of African history in high schools and middle schools providing Israeli pupils with a glimpse into African cultures of the past and present that is starkly missing from local media and popular culture. This program seeks to deepen and expand the knowledge Israelis have of Africa and to provide a more balanced view of African peoples and cultures than that which they see in the local press. The classes combine interactive and visual activities to facilitate access to a wide range of ages, a method which has received positive feedback from both the pupils and teachers. This outreach to the broader community is an essential aspect of the Africa Centre’s goal of exposing Israeli society to a more nuanced and accurate understanding of the African continent. Schools interested in participating in the program are welcome to contact us at: africa@bgu.ac.il
Holot World Cup
In this program, the students organized a football tournament with the participation of asylum seekers from the “Holot” detention center. The event took place in the sports center near the university, and was followed by a musical jam session. Click here to view photos from the event. Click here to read an article on the event.
Fidel Association
Since their establishment in 2005, Fidel Youth Centers have been an enriching educational framework for over 2000 youths in Israel. Fidel operates eight Youth Centers in cooperation with municipalities and the Ethiopian National Project. In the framework of the course, the students volunteered at the youth center in Beer Sheva, guiding adolescents and renovating the building.
Earth’s promise
In this program, the students worked in the ecological farm run by the organization in Beer Sheva. The students also held communal activities and edited a booklet compiling life stories of local resident’ who made Aliya from Ethiopia.
Selected projects from previous years:
Conference on Jewish Ethiopians who are denied entry to Israel
First aid medical course for asylum seekers in “Kedem” high school in Arad
Educational lectures on African issues
Awareness campaign on the university’s campus on fair trade coffee
Recognizing Northern African culture
A Guide Book with Information about Volunteering Options in Africa (Click here to download)