What’s the problem? 

In Palestine, economic resources are limited, space and movement is restricted, and there are very little public parks and safe recreational spaces due to the political situation. In addition, violence and trauma are a daily reality for most. This has had a significant impact on the physical and mental health of Palestinians - with some of the highest rates of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic stress in the region. 

Yoga can be an effective tool to manage both physical and mental health difficulties, especially when dealing with the kind of trauma Palestinians face. It is a form of self-care that is accessible to all: it is affordable; anyone- -no matter what age or physical constitution--can do it; and it can be done anywhere: at home, at school, outside, in your car. 

What are we doing about it? 

Farashe’s mission is to make health and wellness accessible for all living in Palestine, through the practice of yoga and meditation, with a particular emphasis on reaching underserved communities. However, language is a significant barrier to achieving our goal. Very few resources on yoga exist in Arabic. Farashe is therefore committed to: 1) developing a cadre of Arabic-speaking, Palestinian yoga teachers; (2) developing Arabic-language resources for yoga; (3) supporting community and volunteer work. 

To achieve our mission, Farashe has been training Palestinian, Arabic-speaking yoga teachers with the generous support of international volunteer yoga teacher trainers, taught in English with translation. To become truly sustainable and ensure consistent access by Palestinians to yoga and its benefits, Farashe has embarked on a journey to provide its own teacher training programs in Arabic. By doing this we will create a network of certified trainers across the country, and be able to reach more communities in need of mind-body health and wellness.

About Farashe

Farashe, which means “butterfly” in Arabic, is a nonprofit and volunteer-based community yoga movement based in the heart of Ramallah and working throughout occupied Palestine. We started Farashe Yoga in 2010 to provide a safe space for Palestinians to breathe and to relieve the stress and anxiety of their harsh daily realities under the occupation. Farashe’s mission is to make yoga accessible for all living in Palestine, as a means to manage stress, improve healthy living, build resilience, and strengthen community bonds. We believe that yoga is a catalyst for transformation and growth within ourselves, families, communities, and the world, whether through physical exercise and healthy nutrition or through community service and development.                        
Created, built, and run purely through volunteers and donations, Farashe is committed to the principles of “selfless service.” Our yoga teachers are all volunteers. Class fees are reinvested into the yoga center’s maintenance, teacher training, and education, Arabic-language yoga resource development, and outreach yoga sessions in surrounding villages, refugee camps, and schools.

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In our nine years of operation, and with a limited annual budget from class fees and donations, Farashe has been able to grow from a small center in Ramallah, to impact the lives of over 5,000 individuals in over 15 Palestinian communities. Through partnerships with experienced international yoga teachers, we have provided yoga teacher training to about 40 Palestinian women and men from 9 cities and villages in Palestine. Of those trained, 15 are currently actively teaching in their communities.

The demand for our services continues to rise and activities continue to expand.  In order to maintain and sustain this expansion, we need to develop certified teachers to take these tools and implement them across the country.

Farashe Yoga Teacher Trainers 

1) Majdal Soboh

2) Shadan Nassar

3) Lana Qumsieh

4) Maha

Farashe Yoga Board Members 

1) Maha is the co-Founder and teacher at Farashe . She felt the need to establish a space for Palestinians to practice yoga, because such a space was lacking.

2) Aisha is a Chair member of the board, and an active member of the community in Palestine. She’s worked in the non-profit sector, and has experience in agriculture and preserving agricultural heritage in Palestine.  

3) Sarab is a yoga instructor and leads Farashe’s communications. She felt the need to connect with Palestinians and helping them find inner peace. 

4) Elizabeth is our nutritionist on board. 

5) Ruba has an MA in International Politics, and has worked in international development for more than 10 years. She’s committed  to yoga and believes in its impact on healthier body, soul, and mind.

6) Rania is our accountant and financial manager.

7) Mohammad is the founder of Bridge Development Group, and the main contributor to Farashe Yoga.

How can you help?

Donating: funds covering the training courses, certification fees, participants allowances, and translation for training materials 

Spreading the word: advertise for the courses, broadcast Farashe videos, and announce success stories 

Non-financial help: provide experts (technical and admin), volunteering, additional teaching materials, possibly space for training courses 

This campaign is supported by BuildPalestine, a platform to connect supporters around the world with innovative, social impact projects in Palestine.