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Bustan Qaraaqa, West Bank, Seeks Two Permaculture Interns

Bustan Qaraaqa is a community permaculture project in the Palestinian West Bank. The project consists of an experimental permaculture farm in the town of Beit Sahour close to the historic city of Bethlehem, and several community projects where staff and volunteers work together with Palestinian community groups and individuals to implement permaculture initiatives that have been tried and tested at the farm.

The project has been in operation for almost 4 years now, and as well as building a functioning and attractive permaculture centre for staff and volunteers to live in, we have built up a great network of local partners and become a local landmark in our host town.

In fact, things are going so well that we are feeling the need to extend our team to cope with the workload that we now have. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a cutting edge permaculture project in a fascinating country – ideal for anyone who wants to build up their practical experience.

We have 2 positions open, for a minimum of 6 months commitment. We can offer free room and board to the successful candidates (unfortunately we are unable to offer any wage).

Responsibilities of interns:

Position 1: Assistant volunteer coordinator

  • To assist in the day to day running of the farm, including site maintenance and development, planting and harvesting of food etc.
  • To help coordinate the volunteer team (meeting and greeting new volunteers, showing them around the farm, explaining the purpose of the project, organizing and supervising work groups)
  • To correspond with prospective volunteers prior to their arrival and answer enquiries
  • To handle bookings and keep records of who is coming and when they will arrive
  • To keep the communal kitchen stocked with food and keep financial records of housekeeping expenses
  • To coordinate the volunteer team in the basic upkeep of the house and its inhabitants (organizing the cooking and cleaning rota, ensuring communal areas are kept clean and tidy)

Position 2: Fundraising and administrative assistant

  • To assist in the day to day running of the farm, including site maintenance and development, planting and harvesting of food etc.
  • To assist in the upkeep of the projects’ online profiles (blogs, website, facebook page, permaculture network etc.)
  • To assist in book-keeping including logging the receipts for project expenses and creating financial summaries
  • To search for compatible grant-making organizations and assist in the preparation of applications for funding

In either position, you will become part of the close-knit team that has made Bustan Qaraaqa what it is, and will participate in the creative process of developing the project and the site. Applicants should have strong interpersonal and communication skills, high tolerance levels (Bustan Qaraaqa is a communal living environment), a commitment to the ideals and methods of permaculture, an ability to function in a somewhat chaotic environment and a sense of humour!

We can offer a shared room for sleeping and all food (although you should be aware that our financial health oscillates wildly and at times the budget to feed everyone is pretty minimal – a love of lentils would be an advantage). In addition, the farm is a functioning permaculture system, with a compost toilet (outdoors) and a number of ‘hands-on’ waste management strategies (all food packaging has to be cleaned, sorted and stored for example) – so if you hate to get your hands dirty, this is not the place for you! Unfortunately, the site is not wheelchair accessible and a certain measure of agility and physical fitness is a necessity for anyone planning to live here long-term.

On the plus side, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a permaculture lifestyle, participate in a number of exciting community initiatives, live in the wonderful country of Palestine and learn a great deal about its people, culture and environment. If you want to learn or improve your Arabic, this is also a good opportunity for you as we have plenty of friends for you to practice on and professional instruction is fairly cheap.

If you are interested in applying for either position, please send your CV along with a letter of motivation to alice (at) bustanqaraaqa.org

More information about our project is available on our website, our Facebook profile (Bustan Qaraaqa) and our blog.

4 Comments

  1. yes…..we are currently building 6 more of these in the Jordan Valley, having piloted the technique at Bustan Qaraaqa. For project reports, go to our website (www.bustanqaraaqa.org) and click on the ‘Archive’ on the sidebar.

  2. yes…..we are currently building 6 more of these in the Jordan Valley, having piloted the technique at Bustan Qaraaqa. For project reports, go to our website (www.bustanqaraaqa.org) and click on the ‘Archive’ on the sidebar.

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