Ramallah, Palestine: Durable Qaddura
About
In 2023, the City of Ramallah, Palestine, was selected as a grantee of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF), the MMC’s instrument to channel international funding directly to cities to implement inclusive projects of their own design.
With support from the GCF, Ramallah is upgrading Qaddura Refugee Camp’s solid waste collection system and rehabilitating its public park to improve quality of life and promote healthy play for children living in the camp.
Context
There are over six million Palestinian refugees worldwide. More than 871,000 of them live in the West Bank, Palestine, with around 2,000 residing in Ramallah’s Qaddura Refugee Camp. Living conditions in Qaddura are poor, especially for the camp’s 700 residents younger than fifteen years of age.
Qaddura is not officially recognized by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine Refugees, and lacks consistent government service provision. The camp’s solid waste system is outdated and unreliable, contributing to the spread of disease and pollution. Qaddura is also densely populated with limited green space and recreational areas. The camp’s public park, which receives more than 1,000 visitors daily, is dilapidated and in urgent need of repair.
Photo Credit: MMC
Action
The City of Ramallah will use its GCF grant to upgrade Qaddura Refugee Camp’s solid waste management system, refurbish its public park, and launch an awareness campaign about environmental stewardship for camp residents.
Working alongside the Qaddura Camp Services Committee, the project team will survey camp residents to identify their needs
around waste collection. Using insights from this survey, the city will implement waste management reforms, including replacing the camp’s waste collection vehicle and installing over a hundred new garbage bins. To ensure the sustainability of its waste management reform, Ramallah will lead an awareness campaign to teach children living in the camp about environmental stewardship and proper waste disposal.
In addition, Ramallah will refurbish a popular recreationalpark in Qaddura. Improvements to the park will include safe spaces which promote healthy development. The park renovation will create an age-responsive and gender-inclusive public space for refugee children and their caregivers to play and interact.
Ramallah’s project will be implemented in close partnership with refugee leaders
from Qaddura, ensuring that the park and waste management reform create a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for all residents. This project is supported by the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees.
Issa Kassis, Mayor of Ramallah, PalestineThis project will protect the public health of all living in the camp, especially our youngest new residents and future leaders: children.
Impact
Stay tuned for more impact updates at the end of Ramallah’s GCF grant term!
