How to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine: Palestine has a very high number of people with formal refugee status. It might be surprising to learn that the refugees in Palestine are actually all Palestinians. 

In 1948, the formation of Israel on Palestinian land resulted in what is called the ‘Nakba,’ or ‘catastrophe.’ Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their historic homes. Some went to neighboring Jordan or further afield, and some went to different parts of what is now called the West Bank. 

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, nearly one-third of the registered Palestine refugees (more than 1.5 million individuals) live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Palestinian refugee camps started as temporary tented communities, waiting for the war to be over so they could return home. Over 70 years later, they are still waiting to go back to the land they were pushed from. 

While Palestinians’ resilience keeps their hope alive, many things can be done to help make day-to-day life in the camps easier. Volunteering, for example, can make a significant impact on refugee communities. International volunteers contribute a lot—from education and English instruction to assisting in community development projects to advocacy for the communities they are working within.  

Where to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine in 2025

There are 19 official Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, housing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians and their descendants. Today, these camps are densely populated areas where generations of refugees live under challenging conditions, often facing poverty, overcrowding, and limited access to resources and opportunities.

Near Hebron, the refugee camps include Al-Fawwar, Arroub, and Al-Hussein. These camps face unique challenges, including overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and frequent military incursions due to their proximity to Israeli settlements and military installations. For instance, Al-Fawwar Camp, located just southwest of Hebron, is known for its dense population and the severe restrictions placed on residents’ movement, which hinders access to jobs, education, and healthcare. 

Types of Volunteer Opportunities

There are many different ways that international volunteers can help support Palestinian refugees in camps around Hebron: 

Educational Support

Volunteers can help teach English or support the development of other skills for children and adults alike. Some volunteers have done things like help people with their CVs, run specialized training sessions, and do presentations in their areas of expertise. These initiatives can help provide a great education and better employment opportunities for people within the camps. 

Community Projects

Some volunteers organize community projects for people in the camps, such as health campaigns, clean-up initiatives, or recreational activities for the children. Such projects are valuable in helping build community care and cohesion. 

Advocacy

Based on their experience at the camps, many volunteers choose to undertake some form of advocacy in order to help raise awareness about the situation of refugees. This includes sharing their experiences at the camps, and the stories of people they meet, on their own platforms or through media back in their home countries. 

We invite anyone with skills and experience to share, or even those with an interest in learning more about refugees, to apply to one of our programs and help volunteer in Palestine. 

How to Apply for a Volunteer Program

Because there are many volunteer organizations, selecting the right one is an important decision. It’s important to make sure you choose the program that best reflects your skills, expertise, and interests, as well as the needs of the community. So, how do you pick a good organization?

Our advice is to look for programs created by or primarily run by people local to where you will be staying. Many international people can have great intentions by setting up programs they think a community might need. Instead, look for programs where the community itself has identified a need. 

Another piece of advice is to not only check the organisation’s website, but also whether they have an online presence elsewhere to verify the experiences of other volunteers. Engage in Palestine is registered with Go Overseas, a well-known organisation that helps people from around the world to find meaningful and fulfilling volunteer positions. We currently have a 4.85 (out of 5) rating from 852 reviews and have received over 20 community awards from 2019 onwards, including for 2024. 

Once you’ve decided on the organisation you want to volunteer with and the program you’re interested in doing, the next step is to apply. The application process should be easy to do, and the organisation should be responsive to your request. At Engage in Palestine, we simply ask that people send an email to Info@ecpalestine.org, enquiring about their program of choice, when they would like to arrive, and how long they would like to stay.

Visa and Travel Requirements for 2025

Currently, in order to travel to Palestine, you need to secure a visa from Israel. Tourist visas are issued on arrival at the border and can last for up to 90 days. As of January 1st, 2025, you need to fill out an Electronic Travel Authorization prior to departure. 

There are two key crossings into the West Bank: a land crossing through Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge or arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Travel through Jordan is highly recommended, as many people have recently faced difficulty entering Israel through Ben Gurion Airport. The way takes a bit longer and is a bit more complicated, but there is generally a better chance that you will be granted entry. Read our article on traveling from Jordan to Palestine for more information. 

The first thing to know is that preparing to cross the border will almost always sound worse than it actually is. Since 2011, over 1000 volunteers have come to spend time with Engage in Palestine with no problems. However, entering Palestine can be more difficult sometimes than others, depending on the changing security situation. 

There is a chance that you will be pulled aside for questioning when you try to cross the border. The questions will usually be about your intentions in Israel (tourism, visiting friends and family, etc) and why you have decided to travel now. We recommend you say you are traveling for tourism and that you prepare some answers like where you intend to stay and what you intend to do and see over the span of your trip. It is highly recommended that you do not mention Palestine, the West Bank, or any West Bank cities or volunteering and learning Arabic.

Living and Working Conditions as a Volunteer

Accommodation

Engage in Palestine has a variety of accommodation options to suit different needs. Most commonly, volunteers will reside at one of our shared flats located close to the center. There is one for men and one for women. The apartments are modern, spacious, and equipped with everything you need for daily living. Rooms might be shared depending on the number of volunteers, but it is possible to request a private room if you prefer. Another option (for female volunteers) is placement with a Palestinian host family. This immersion is a great way to experience the local culture and language. 

For our volunteering in a Palestinian refugee camp program, volunteers will be based in Hebron and commute to the camp to work with the community two or three days per week. 

Daily Life

At Engage in Palestine, our volunteer’s days usually start at 10am with a communal breakfast in our kitchen. We have everything you’ll usually find on the table for breakfast in a Palestinian home – bread, hommus, avocado, tomato, eggs, za’atar and olive oil served with tea or coffee. This breakfast is an important start to the day, allowing staff and volunteers to mingle, speak about their days, and get to know each other better. 

After breakfast usually comes the Arabic classes with our wonderful teachers. The length and frequency of your Arabic classes will depend on whether you are in an intensive course or studying Arabic as part of another program. 

In the afternoon, program-specific activities occur. At the end of the day, volunteers usually like to go out for dinner at one of the many restaurants on bustling Ein Sara Street, sit at a cafe and study together, or return home and cook for themselves. 

Weekends and Getting Around

Weekends in Palestine are Fridays and Saturdays, while the start of the working week is on Sunday. On Fridays, most shops and cafes close, and many people like to stay home and spend time with their families. Saturdays tend to be more lively, with people out and about shopping and eating at restaurants with friends. 

While there are trains and light rail options in Israel, Palestine’s public transport consists of shared taxis called Services (pronounced Servees). These are usually quite affordable and easy to catch. Many volunteers like to travel on the weekends, taking local transport to cities like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, and Nablus. Just make sure you agree on a price with the driver before you start the journey! 

Ethical Volunteering and Cultural Sensitivity

Volunteering done without ethics in mind can be detrimental to the community. That is why  it’s important to keep in mind how to volunteer responsibly when you’re in a community and a setting that is very different from your home. 

One of the biggest considerations to volunteering responsibly is to respect the culture and traditions of the community you are staying in. While there is a mix of different religions in Palestine, it is a primarily Islamic society. If you have lived in a Muslim-majority country before, Hebron will feel really familiar. If you haven’t, some things can be a bit different from what you’re used to.

The first thing is the local culture when it comes to gender. Men and women do not usually shake hands or otherwise show physical affection in public. Some things, like gyms, are separated, often having different opening hours for men and women. There are also some gyms that are just for women and some that are just for men. 

Another consideration is clothing. Hebron is quite a conservative city. For men, this usually means no shorts. For women, it is best to wear long, loose clothing to the wrists and ankles and ensure the chest is covered. Women in Hebron tend to be very stylish, so being conservative definitely doesn’t have to mean boring! 

Finally, it’s important to remember that even though you’re coming to help the community, the community isn’t helpless. Palestinians are strong, resilient, and hopeful about their future. They have found ways to thrive even under occupation. By volunteering at Engage in Palestine, you’ll be working alongside Palestinians and learning as much from them as they learn from you! 

Summary

Palestinian refugee camps exist on the knife-edge of the Israeli occupation, their movement and opportunities restricted, always waiting for the next bout of violence to erupt. At the same time, these people never allow the grim reality of their situation to dampen their spirit or dull their kindness. 

Any support that can be offered to improve day-to-day life in the West Bank’s refugee camps is incredibly welcome. That’s why Engage in Palestine offers international volunteers the opportunity to come and spend time with these communities, contributing skills and expertise while also showing solidarity with their cause. 

If you’re interested in coming to spend time in the West Bank, and to volunteer in refugee camps around Hebron, please reach out to Info@ecpalestine.org.

Find Us Online

Do you have questions about the Guide to Volunteering in Human Rights Programs in Palestine? Contact us:

Email: info@ecpalestine.org

WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880

Website: https://ecpalestine.org/

EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/

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Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg

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