MA’AN Development Center is an independent, non governmental, non partisan Palestinian development and training institution established in January,1989, registered by law as a non-profit organization. The main office is located in Ramallah and the four branch offices are located in Gaza, Khan Younis, Tulkarem and Jenin,. MA’AN’s work is informed by the necessity of creating independent, self-reliant initiatives that lead to the development of human resources for sustainable development, which incorporate values of self-sufficiency and self-empowerment.
Vision
Palestinians enjoy a decent life, are steadfast, resilient, self-reliant, and leading their communities, based on respect for plurality, rule of law, social justice and human rights.
Mission
Partnering and working hand in hand with Palestinian non-governmental organization, community based organizations, grassroots groups and committees, in the poorest and most marginalized areas, to promote community development that is guided by community participation, human rights based approach, investment of local resources and the empowerment of the poor and marginalized through achieving the following five goals:
- Improving the food security situation of the poorest and most marginalized sectors of the Palestinian society at the family & community level
- To develop and enhance the capacities of the Palestinian NGOs (PNGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and grassroots organizations to be able to fulfill their missions and goals so as to contribute to building a Palestinian civil and democratic society based on political pluralism and respect of human rights
- To enhance community development and decrease poverty in rural and the most disadvantaged areas
- To protect and develop the Palestinian environment
- To raise awareness and advocate for and with the Palestinian community on their national rights at the local, national, and international level.
Objectives
Goals
Developmental Objective/Strategies
1- Improving the food security situation of the poorest and most marginalized sectors of the Palestinian society at the family & community level
- To develop the agriculture sector productivity
- To increase water harvesting for agricultural purposes
- To design and establish home gardens
- To introduce new species and plants which has better income for the farmers
- To create sustainable agricultural and environmental models and techniques
To enhance the Palestinian awareness of sustainable and friendly agricultural and environmental practices - To decrease the agricultural external inputs
- To encourage farmers to use organic farming and organic pest control
- To produce healthy agricultural production free from chemicals and pesticides
2- To develop and enhance the capacities of the Palestinian NGOs, CBOs and grassroots organizations to be able to fulfill their missions and goals so as to contribute to building a Palestinian civil and democratic society based on political pluralism and respect of human rights
- To develop Palestinian human resources with special focus on the NGOs staff and board members
- To build up and strengthen the self-reliance, efficiency, professionalism, and effectiveness of PNGO’s CBOs and grassroots through the following strategies:
- Developing their infrastructures
- Developing their operation systems
- Providing them with the necessary equipment and tools
- Enhancing the level of coordination, networking, cooperation
- To contribute to self-reliance through creating income-generating projects and enhance their management level
3- To enhance community development and decrease poverty in rural and the most disadvantaged areas
- To develop the inadequate infrastructure
- To implement projects that is labor intensive
- To enhance youths’ and women’s competencies (skills, knowledge, and attitudes) necessary for the local labor market
- To enhance cooperation and coordination with all stakeholders
- To provide support and basic needs for the poorest in emergency situations
4-To protect and develop the Palestinian environment
- To enhance and raise public awareness on sustainable and friendly environmental and agricultural best practices
- To contribute to developing appropriate policies
- To contribute to applied research in the field of agriculture and development
- To advocate and lobby for the achievement of its objectives, particularly in the agricultural and environmental sector
- To improve information accessibility by developing MA’AN’s resource center and enhancing and keeping up-to-date the organization website
5- To raise awareness and advocate for and with the Palestinian community on their national rights at the local, national, and international level
- To support the marginalized groups in claiming their rights.
- Develop relations between local, regional and international networks
- Enhance the capacities of CBOs to use media as a tool for lobby and advocacy.
- Reinforcing cooperation, integration, unifying the efforts of the Palestinian organizations to strengthen lobbying and advocacy
- To encourage and urge national and international donors to direct their projects and programs to serve the poor and the marginalized areas.
- Participate in developing comprehensive development plans as well as sector-based strategies that puts the poor and the affected at top of priorities
- To unify and strengthen grassroots and networks to better represent, defend, and empower the people to claim their rights.
Values
A group of values, principles and beliefs that guide MA’AM’s work while it accomplishes its goals and objectives. The Board of Directors and all employees participate in adopting these beliefs, values and principles. These values, beliefs and principles are written and disclosed. Values and principles are situated at various levels:
- Internal level of the organizations
- Society/community
- Partnering and supporting stakeholders
- Beneficiaries