Collaborative with NGOs for the SDGs

An-Najah National University is committed to empowering its students to become catalysts for change through extensive volunteering opportunities. In collaboration with NGOs, our student volunteers address critical issues such as equitable access to education, disability inclusion, and public health.

The Community Service Center, along with Student Associations and Clubs under the Deanship of Student Affairs, serves as a vital hub for volunteer initiatives at ANNU, engaging approximately 2,000 student volunteers yearly. These students actively participate in impactful programs and organize events and outreach activities that further SDG objectives, reaching local and marginalized communities in partnership with prominent NGOs.

Example Initiatives:

• Health and Disability Support with GUPWD (General Union of Persons with Disabilities): ANNU’s student volunteers participate in programs that offer support to individuals with disabilities. This includes organizing health awareness workshops, distributing necessary resources, and advocating for accessibility in public spaces. Through these initiatives, students contribute to promoting inclusivity (SDG 10) and improving public health (SDG 3).

• Education and Youth Development with UNRWA: In collaboration with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), ANNU student volunteers tutor and mentor children in refugee camps, providing educational support to underserved students. This initiative addresses SDG 4 by helping to improve educational outcomes and encouraging children to continue their studies.

• Women Empowerment with Arab Women Union Society: Student volunteers work with the Arab Women Union Society to run workshops focused on women’s rights, gender equality, and professional skills training for women in the local community. This supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 by reducing gender-based inequalities.

• Inclusive Community Health & Well-Being (SDG 3, SDG 10): Student volunteers, in partnership with local health NGOs, delivered first-aid awareness sessions, blood-donation drives, and mental-health peer-support workshops for youth and vulnerable groups.

• Refugee Education Support (SDG 4): Weekend tutoring hubs and homework-support circles were organized with NGO partners serving camps and low-income neighborhoods, focusing on literacy, math, and exam preparation.

• Women & Girls’ Skills Labs (SDG 5): Jointly with women-focused NGOs, students ran short courses on digital literacy, English conversation, CV writing, and entrepreneurship basics to boost employability.

• Accessibility & Assistive Tech Days (SDG 10): Volunteers supported NGOs in screening days, refurbishing mobility aids, and conducting city “access checks” to map barriers and advocate for inclusive public spaces.

• Environmental Stewardship Actions (SDG 11, 12, 13, 15): With environmental NGOs and municipalities, students led clean-up campaigns, tree-planting, plastics-reduction drives, and household recycling awareness in nearby communities.

• Food Security & Relief Campaigns (SDG 2): In coordination with humanitarian NGOs, students prepared and distributed food parcels and hot meals for families in need, especially during winter and Ramadan.

• Road Safety & Injury Prevention (SDG 3, SDG 11): Volunteers assisted NGO campaigns on helmet/seat-belt use, pedestrian safety near schools, and first-response basics.

• Legal & Civic Awareness (SDG 16): With rights-based NGOs, students helped deliver sessions on child protection, anti-bullying, and workers’ rights, emphasizing safe reporting channels.

• Culture & Heritage Volunteering (SDG 11.4): In partnership with cultural NGOs, students supported museum days, heritage clean-ups, and documentation of traditional crafts as part of community tourism initiatives.

• Emergency Preparedness (SDG 11.5): Students joined NGO-led trainings on disaster risk reduction and household preparedness, enhancing local resilience to crises.

How We Manage Volunteering (Quality & Safeguarding)

• Coordination: The Community Service Center and the Deanship of Student Affairs coordinate NGO requests, volunteer placement, and logistics through MoU-based frameworks.

• Training: All volunteers receive short inductions on safeguarding, inclusion (disability- and gender-sensitive approaches), data privacy, and ethical community engagement.

• Monitoring & Impact: Activities are logged (hours, beneficiaries, location, SDG tags). NGOs provide brief post-activity confirmations to document outcomes for rankings and reports.

• Recognition: Volunteers receive certificates and co-curricular records acknowledging SDG-aligned community impact.

ANNU pioneers research initiatives that drive innovation and sustainability, partnering with NGOs to tackle urgent global issues like sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and climate resilience.

Example Projects:

• Agriculture and Food Security Research with Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees: Faculty and students collaborate on projects exploring sustainable agriculture techniques, such as drought-resistant crops and efficient irrigation methods. This research supports SDG 2 by helping Palestinian farmers improve food security.

• Renewable Energy Innovation with Palestinian Energy and Environment Research Center: ANNU’s Energy Research Center develops affordable solar and wind energy systems, especially suited for remote areas. In partnership with NGOs, they create prototypes aimed at reducing energy costs and promoting clean energy (SDG 7).

• Climate Change and Water Resource Management with Palestinian Hydrology Group: Researchers at ANNU investigate the impacts of climate change on local water resources, developing water conservation strategies and drought adaptation models. This supports SDG 13 by addressing climate resilience and adaptation.

• Biodiversity Conservation with Palestine Wildlife Society: ANNU researchers document local flora and fauna, focusing on protecting endangered species and maintaining biodiversity. This work supports SDG 15, helping to safeguard ecosystems that are critical to Palestinian wildlife.

• Public Health & Epidemiology (SDG 3, SDG 10): With health-focused NGOs, ANNU teams study NCD risk factors, vaccination uptake, maternal/child health outcomes, and disability-inclusive services. Results inform community guidelines and municipal health action plans.

• WASH & Water Reuse (SDG 6): Co-developed low-cost filtration and greywater reuse pilots; behavioral studies on hygiene practices in schools and camps; decision-support tools for small utilities facing drought.

• Circular Economy & Waste (SDG 12): Waste audits with environmental NGOs; composting of organic waste from markets; e-waste collection and characterization studies leading to safe recycling protocols.

• Air Quality & Exposure (SDG 3, SDG 11, SDG 13): Community PM₂.₅ monitoring with low-cost sensors; source apportionment and health-risk assessment; citizen-science campaigns that map “hot spots” and guide mitigation.

• Urban Resilience & Safe Mobility (SDG 11): Walkability and school-zone safety research with road-safety NGOs; micro-infrastructure prototypes (traffic calming, lighting) evaluated with before/after data.

• Nature-Based Solutions & Restoration (SDG 13, SDG 15): Riparian buffer restoration, urban micro-forests, and pollinator corridors co-designed with conservation NGOs; biodiversity monitoring using camera traps and eDNA.

• Energy Access & Micro-Grids (SDG 7): Field trials of PV-battery micro-systems and solar water-pumping for off-grid sites; techno-economic models targeting energy poverty reduction.

• Climate-Smart Agriculture (SDG 2, SDG 13): Drought-tolerant cultivars, deficit irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and pest early-warning models developed with farmer associations and agricultural NGOs.

• Gender, Livelihoods & Inclusion (SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 10): Research on women-led cooperatives, green entrepreneurship, and inclusive STEM training pathways in partnership with community NGOs.

• SDG Data, GIS & Remote Sensing (SDG 17): Joint datasets on land use, vegetation stress, and water bodies; participatory mapping with NGOs to feed open dashboards and annual SDG reporting.

How We Structure NGO Research Partnerships

• Formal MoUs & Workplans: Clear scopes, deliverables, and SDG targets/indicators.

• Ethics & Safeguarding: IRB approvals, data-sharing agreements, and community advisory boards for sensitive studies.

• Capacity Building: Training-of-trainers (ToT) for NGO staff; student internships and MSc theses embedded in NGO projects.

• Monitoring & Evaluation: Logical frameworks with baseline/endline surveys; open metrics aligned to SDG targets.

Knowledge Products & Impact

• Co-Authored Outputs: Peer-reviewed articles, field manuals, and policy briefs produced with NGO partners.

• Open Data & Tools: Curated datasets (when permissible), GIS layers, and prototype toolkits shared for replication.

• Policy Uptake: Evidence synthesized for ministries/municipalities, informing local climate adaptation, WASH guidelines, and circular-economy strategies.

ANNU takes a proactive approach in developing educational resources that inspire and educate both students and the wider community on sustainable practices and responsible global citizenship.

Example Initiatives:

• Public Health Education with Dental Health Without Borders (DHWB): In partnership with DHWB and the Palestinian Relief Society, ANNU’s dental faculty and students develop resources to educate communities on oral health and hygiene practices. This includes training dental students to provide health education and dental services in underserved areas, aligning with SDG 3 by improving community health.

• Sustainability Awareness and SDG Workshops: ANNU’s Sustainability Center creates workshops and educational materials in collaboration with NGOs to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability practices, responsible consumption, and waste reduction. By educating the public and students on these issues, the university advances SDG 12.

• Citizenship and Environmental Responsibility Programs: Partnering with local NGOs, ANNU develops curricula that teach students and community members about the SDGs, environmental protection, and civic responsibilities. This program promotes sustainable citizenship and aligns with both SDG 4 and SDG 12 by fostering an understanding of responsible resource use.

• MA’AN Development Center (NGO) – Environmental & climate justice MOU : Formal partnership to co-run trainings and outreach modules that feed into environmental justice learning at ANNU. Supports SDGs 4, 13. najah.edu

• PMRS (Palestinian Medical Relief Society) – First-aid training program
  Multi-session student course (with Scouts Commission) building practical first-aid competencies and materials; used in class clubs and community days. SDG 3. najah.edu

• PRCS (Palestinian Red Crescent Society) – Community first-aid training
  Community Service Center completed a PRCS-led training cycle for ANNU students, culminating in certificates and reusable training content. SDG 3, 11. csc.najah.edu

•   PRCS (Palestinian Red Crescent Society) – Pharm.D. first-aid course
  Faculty-hosted course with PRCS for Pharm.D. students; serves as a template for recurring safety/health workshops. SDG 3. fmhs.najah.edu

•   Palestinian Union for the Deaf – Accessibility & inclusion collaboration
  University–NGO meeting to develop cooperative activities and awareness resources supporting hearing disabilities (sign-language, inclusive learning). SDG 4, 10. najah.edu

• UAWC (Union of Agricultural Work Committees) – Youth cooperatives workshop
  Faculty of Agriculture + UAWC workshop funded by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation; generated guidance for student cooperative projects and outreach kits. SDG 2, 8, 12. najah.edu

• PARC & UAWC & PHG (NGO trio) – Curricula co-design in WASH & CSA
  OKP labour-market workshop where NGOs reviewed ANNU’s developed curricula; NGO recommendations were integrated into the final syllabi. SDG 4, 6, 13. wesi.najah.edu

• MA’AN Development Center & PARC – “She Succeeds” learning track
  ANNU’s Center for Excellence joined the NGO-led project; delivered entrepreneurship workshops and produced student resource packs. SDG 4, 5, 8. najah.edu

• PARC / Agricultural Relief – Soil preservation & sustainable farming
  Joint workshop with Agricultural Relief Committee produced practical guidance for student fieldwork and community briefs. SDG 2, 12, 15. najah.edu

• Save the Children & Mercy Corps – Cisco Regional Academy set-up
  NGO-supported academy establishment at Hisham Hijjawi College created a durable digital skills training pipeline and teaching materials. SDG 4, 8, 9. najah.edu

• Health collaborations
  Lists ongoing NGO-backed educational outreach (e.g., PMRS school oral-health campaigns) you can reference as “continuing resources.” SDG 3, 4.

Palestinian Resilience and Development Program

• Description: In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ANNU works on resilience-building programs aimed at enhancing the socio-economic resilience of Palestinian communities. This includes infrastructure projects, vocational training, and support for micro-businesses, especially in rural areas.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 1 (No Poverty): Alleviating poverty through economic empowerment.

  • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Providing job skills training and entrepreneurship support.

• Website: UNDP Palestine

Supporting Environmental Sustainability Initiatives with PENGON

• Description: ANNU collaborates with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network (PENGON) on initiatives to promote environmental conservation and sustainable development in Palestine. Projects include awareness campaigns, community clean-ups, and workshops on waste management and renewable energy.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 13 (Climate Action): Raising awareness and promoting local action for climate resilience.

  • SDG 15 (Life on Land): Protecting natural resources and biodiversity.

• Website: PENGON - Friends of the Earth Palestine

Women’s Economic Empowerment Program with UN Women

• Description: ANNU partners with UN Women to promote women’s economic empowerment through training, mentorship, and support for women entrepreneurs. This program includes workshops on financial literacy, leadership skills, and sustainable business practices.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Empowering women to achieve economic independence.

  • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Enhancing women’s participation in the workforce.

• Website: UN Women Palestine

Health and Nutrition Program with Action Against Hunger

• Description: This program addresses malnutrition and promotes healthy practices in marginalized communities. ANNU collaborates with Action Against Hunger to provide community workshops on nutrition, safe drinking water, and hygiene practices.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Addressing malnutrition and food insecurity.

  • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Promoting health through nutrition and hygiene education.

• Website: Action Against Hunger - Palestine

Community Mental Health Support Program with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society

• Description: ANNU partners with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society to offer mental health services and psychological support to vulnerable communities. The program includes training sessions, counseling, and awareness-raising campaigns on mental health.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Improving access to mental health services.

  • SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Ensuring equal access to health services for marginalized communities.

• Website: Palestinian Medical Relief Society

Youth Empowerment through Environmental Education with EcoPeace Middle East

• Description: ANNU collaborates with EcoPeace Middle East on youth programs that focus on environmental education and cross-border water conservation projects. These initiatives engage young people in environmental activism and promote sustainable water management practices.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Providing environmental education to youth.

  • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Supporting sustainable water management practices.

  • SDG 13 (Climate Action): Encouraging youth involvement in climate resilience efforts.

• Website: EcoPeace Middle East

Community-Led Disaster Risk Reduction Program with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society

• Description: ANNU works with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society on a community-led disaster risk reduction program. This initiative focuses on preparedness training, emergency response, and community resilience to natural and human-made disasters.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Enhancing community resilience to disasters.

  • SDG 13 (Climate Action): Promoting preparedness for climate-related hazards.

• Website: Palestinian Red Crescent Society

Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• Description: ANNU partners with the FAO on projects that promote sustainable agricultural practices and improve food security. The partnership includes research on crop resilience, training for farmers, and support for eco-friendly farming techniques.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Enhancing food security through sustainable agriculture.

  • SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Promoting sustainable farming practices.

• Website: FAO Palestine

Water and Sanitation Projects with Oxfam

• Description: ANNU collaborates with Oxfam to improve water and sanitation infrastructure in underserved areas. The project includes building water and sanitation facilities, as well as community training on safe water practices.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Improving access to clean water and sanitation.

  • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Ensuring safe water practices to prevent disease.

• Website: Oxfam in Palestine

Youth Employment and Skills Development with Mercy Corps

• Description: ANNU partners with Mercy Corps to address youth unemployment by providing skills training and employment opportunities. This program focuses on enhancing job skills, entrepreneurship, and creating pathways to meaningful employment.

• Key SDG Contributions:

  • SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Reducing youth unemployment and promoting economic opportunities.

  • SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Ensuring equal access to employment opportunities.

• Website: Mercy Corps Palestine

Sustainable Land, Water & GIS Monitoring — with ARIJ

• Description: Joint studies and trainings on land use, water management, and sustainability analytics.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 6, SDG 11, SDG 13, SDG 15

WASH & Water Stewardship — with Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)

• Description: Field monitoring, water-quality labs, rainwater harvesting, and community WASH trainings.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 6, SDG 13

Climate-Resilient Agriculture — with PARC (Agricultural Development Association)

• Description: Farmer training, seed/soil improvement, and climate adaptation for smallholders.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 2, SDG 12, SDG 13

Biodiversity Monitoring & Wildlife Rescue — with Palestine Wildlife Society (PWLS)

• Description: Species surveys, habitat protection, and community education on biodiversity.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 15, SDG 4

WASH, Food Security & Youth Service-Learning — with ANERA

• Description: Student placements and joint outreach on WASH, food baskets, and community health education.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 6, SDG 8

Heritage, Scholarships & Community Programs — with Taawon (Welfare Association)

• Description: Scholarships, heritage conservation, and youth employability initiatives.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 11

Child Protection & Education — with Save the Children

• Description: Education continuity, psychosocial support, and climate-education for children/youth.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 4, SDG 3, SDG 10

Safe Education & MHPSS — with World Vision (Jerusalem–West Bank–Gaza)

• Description: School protection, mental-health and livelihoods support for vulnerable families.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 4, SDG 3, SDG 8

Disability Inclusion & Rehabilitation — with Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International)

• Description: Inclusive education, physical rehabilitation, assistive devices, and MHPSS.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 10

Housing, Land & Property (HLP) Assistance — with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

• Description: Legal aid on HLP rights, education, and WASH support to displaced communities.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 11, SDG 16

Women’s Leadership & Youth Civic Engagement — with YWCA Palestine

• Description: Leadership training, economic empowerment, and advocacy for women and young women.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 16

Digital Skills & Social Innovation — with Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD)

• Description: Coding, IR4.0 skills, and entrepreneurship pipelines for youth and women.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9

Community Engineering & Service Projects — with Engineers Without Borders (EWB-Palestine)

• Description: Student-led engineering solutions (water, energy, and community infrastructure) with mentorship.

• Key SDG Contributions: SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 11

• Website: EWB-Palestine and ANNU student chapter info: EWB @ An-Najah

Student volunteering programmes

• Pink October outreach with PRCS & Arab Women Union – student-led awareness and screenings with the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Arab Women Union Society. (Nov 7, 2024). Najah University

• First-aid & firefighting trainings – Community Service Center ran hands-on courses for students with trainers from the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS). (Nov 7, 2024). Najah University

• Health education days in schools – nursing students delivered sessions in Askar Girls’ School in cooperation with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) (and UNRWA). (Feb 4, 2024). fmhs.najah.edu

Research programmes

• PARC/Islamic Relief France/AFD “PAL-GAP” resilience project – ANNU hired field ag engineers to implement the NGO-funded programme with PARC (Palestinian Agricultural Development Association) & Islamic Relief France (SIF). (Jan 15, 2024). agri.najah.edu

• Inputs to farmers (Islamic Relief-funded) – distribution rounds with gov. directorates; ANNU implements technical work under the NGO-funded project. (Feb 7 & Feb 9, 2024). agri.najah.edu

• Women farmers & PAL-GAP – field training and standard adoption with SIF support; ANNU team delivering the technical package. (Jun 10, 2024). agri.najah.edu

• Sampling, audits, certification prep – soil/water sampling (Jul 14, 2024), on-farm audits (Jul 4, 2024), and issuing PAL-GAP certificates to beneficiaries (Oct 31, 2024). 

• NGO MoU (research & extension) – ANNU signed an MoU with PARC to expand joint work on sustainable agriculture and livelihoods. 

Development of educational resources

• School health education kits & sessions (with PRCS) – student teams co-delivered structured health content and activities alongside PRCS. (Feb 4, 2024). fmhs.najah.edu

• First-aid training content (with PMRS) – practical curricula and drills produced and delivered to ANNU volunteers/community via PMRS trainers. (Nov 7, 2024). Najah University

• Disability inclusion collaboration – ANNU worked with the General Union of Persons with Disabilities to co-develop support resources and awareness programming. (Oct 23, 2024). Najah University

• Sustainability webinar – faculty delivered open educational content on SDGs (useful under “resources”), complementing NGO partnerships above. (Jun 14, 2024). Najah University

institutional NGO collaboration 

• Operating agreement for PRCS Hospital in Nablus – ANNU, the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and the Ministry of Awqaf signed an agreement to operate the Red Crescent Hospital (shows formal NGO collaboration at the university level). najah.edu

• Firefighting, rescue & evacuation training , ANNU and Nablus Civil Defense.
• First-aid training & workshops — sessions with PRCS/health NGOs (classroom + field).
• Tree-planting campaign — CSC with municipalities & local NGOs in Nablus (several action shots).
• Health awareness days (Breast Cancer Month), student-led outreach booths.
• https://www.najah.edu/ar/<wbr/>community/community-news/2025/<wbr/>03/11/mrkz-lkhdm-lmjtm-y-fy-<wbr/>jm-lnjh-yqdm-ms-dt-mly-bqym-<wbr/>684-lf-shykl-khll-lshhr-lst-<wbr/>lmdy/
• MEHAD Delegation Visits An-Najah to Strengthen Academic and Medical Collaboration, advancing SDG-aligned partnerships (SDG 3 & SDG 17).
• ANNU Innovation Park signs a cooperation agreement with “Youth of Tomorrow” to support innovation and entrepreneurial projects—advancing SDG-aligned youth skills, decent work, and innovation (SDGs 8, 9, 4, 17).
• Delegation from Hanoun Foundation and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) visits ANNU to strengthen NGO–university cooperation on SDG-aligned health initiatives (SDGs 3 & 17).
• ANNU and Defense for Children International launch a strategic partnership to advance child justice and rights in Palestine—strengthening NGO–university collaboration and SDG-aligned policy and practice (SDGs 16 & 17).