Gilan Miller-Gertz is a dual citizen of Israel and the United States. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University and an MSW from Yeshiva University. During her internship, Gilan worked with Ajeec-Nisped’s Knowledge Center in Be’er Sheva, Israel. Drawing on her background in mental health, she wrote the material for ten workshops on various mental health topics, such as self-esteem and resilience. Gilan worked with two Arabic-speaking colleagues at Ajeec to translate these learning materials and activities into a printed workshop guide, which will be used by the coordinators of Ajeec's Gap Year program for post-high school students. The Gap Year program, which serves Bedouin youth in the Negev as well as Arab youth in the North and Center of Israel, prepares the students for university and/or the workplace. This guide adds the element of psychological wellness to their gap year curriculum. Additionally, Gilan wrote and published a guidebook about Mental Health First Aid. The book will be used by several of Ajeec's divisions, such as the Emergency Teams that operate in unrecognized Bedouin villages, to teach people to recognize and address the signs of mental health difficulties. Lastly, Gilan worked with three Bedouin women who won grants to start social businesses, helping them in creating budgets and work plans, as well as finding additional grants. Gilan explains that during her internship she learned how to manage a book writing and publishing project from start to finish, together with gaining knowledge about Bedouin society and how to adapt key mental wellness concepts to the needs of this community. Furthermore, her experience with Ajeec-Nisped taught her how to take a concept for a social business and turn it into a practical plan.

 

 

One of the problems faced by the Bedouin population in the Negev is a shortage of ambulance services. MDA, the Israeli ambulance service, had claimed that it cannot service the unrecognized Bedouin villages because its drivers could not locate individual homes there, as they lacked formal addresses. With the help of Ajeec-Nisped and many other partners, a new ambulance station was finally established in Lakiya, an established Bedouin city. The station will hire local ambulance drivers who are familiar with the neighboring villages. The institution of an official ambulance and ambulance station is a stepping-stone in the building of resilience within the Bedouin community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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