ANAT is an NGO operating in SDEROT (in the north of the NEGEV, near GAZA) with a focus on giving voice to young people (25-40), who live in the Negev and feel they have "something" to develop, to initiate, to change.
Unfortunately, for years, the people in the NEGEV suffer from a sense of low self-esteem although Government and several NGOs poured a lot of money and efforts in order to change this self-image. ANAT's mission is working on leveraging on people desires in order to support their strength in order to realize their dream, to manifest their wishes and fulfill themselves.
ANAT, in Hebrew, incorporates in its letters this vision –
A – Encourage, N – Planting, T – Educational & cultural in the NEGEV
The word ענת stands for – encouraging cultural and educational seeds to blossom in the NEGEV.
ANAT is actually named after a young Israeli woman, Anat Dotan, who had settled in the Negev and who tragically died after the birth of her first child.
In the effort to help continue her good efforts and continue to seek to make her wish come true, Anat Dotan’s family and friends initiated ANAT.
The NGO number is: 580561892
The NGO Management Team:
- Ada Ronen – Chairman of Audit Committee
- Hana Kotzer-Sapir – Audit Committee
- Prof. Benny Gidron
- Tzvika Eran, Esq.
- Inbar Dotan
- Inon Dotan
- Amira Dotan, ex Member of the Israeli Parliament, Brigadier General in IDF (reserve)
- During the last three years, the team have started undertaking activities with great enthusiasm, strong commitment, and building trust among the participants.
Here are some examples among the various first activities:
Teaching a core group of 20 educators (in the formal and non-formal educational system) the art of mediation for resolving conflicts with an emphasis on UNDERSTANDING. Some of ANAT founders were among the first to bring mediation to Israel and have been practicing and teaching mediation since 1999.
A group of elderly Ethiopian women who walked the way from Ethiopia to Israel found a new and inspiring beginning. As their whole way of life had dramatically changed in Israel, they had lost their structure in their own families and their diminished status became an obstacle for their children to be absorbed in the community. The decision to work with one of their strength (cooking and baking) in order to publish an Ethiopian COOK-BOOK together with them. The process included twice a month meetings to where they brought the special dishes and have described how they prepare it. We learned about Specific dishes to various occasions and stories connected with them and their heritage. Their self -image has found a new (and traditionally grounded) base and is growing in exciting ways for us all.
A group of ANAT's volunteers contributed a full furnished kitchen in TACHLIT – the idea evolved as they noticed that during TACHLIT activities pizzas were customarily ordered – instead of healthy eating habits to be established. The kitchen with all appliances are used today for cooking healthier food for the children.
By the mere fact that the ANAT team have been coming to the various places in SDEROT continually every ten days, brought a renewed faith in themselves and their community. And quietly, even the visibility of the place – clean, the doors can be closed, pictures have appeared on the walls, paper in the toilets is stocked, healthier food is prepared, etc. It really is fascinating to see how little things make such an impact, and how the community assumes individual and collective responsibility with a spirit growing in self-confidence.
The newest undertaken activity is building SOCIAL HUB, a space that will allow young people to meet around a range of initiatives. A place to cooperate, share, collaborate learn and grow.
ANAT team learned that in order to support one's initiative, a process should be put in place, mentors should be found and a plan with timetable should be prepared; For all of it, Anat team have built a network of prominent professional and business people (now in Israel, but in due time in other places) who will mentor and give actual support, open doors, overview the initiative, collaborate it, find partners and resources, etc..
The Hub was opened officially in September 2013. Seven projects were presented.
