Born and raised in Israel, Lior is originally from the northern part of the country, the Galilee. Before Glocal, Lior received her undergraduate degree at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, majoring in the Middle East and Africa Studies. Lior chose to intern in Kav LaOved (KLO) in Tel Aviv. The organization works to protect the rights of exploited workers. Her role was to participate in the department's reception hours and to study the challenges for asylum seekers in the Israeli labor market. Lior was also provided individual support to clients in the realization of their rights. Alongside this, Lior set up a team of volunteers for the organization who were badly affected by COVID-19, integrating them into two departments. Lior's internship in KLO and her studies at Glocal has brought her to understand the importance of community resilience, and what can be done to preserve and develop it. Glocal has broadened her horizons, supporting her creativity and making her able to design special projects, for the organization and for the asylum-seeking community both of whom are now facing an impossible reality. The community of asylum seekers in Israel has suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps more than any other population in Israel. This community is one of the most discriminated against by the Israeli government. As a result, they do not have a safety net of any kind or any government assistance. The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated their situation, and they are surviving day by day under policies that legitimize their harm and the denial of rights. The crisis has caused a regression in the community's progress in assimilation and acceptance in Israel, setting a huge work burden on the human rights organizations that help this community.

 

 

This is a picture of Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. More than 70% of the beneficiaries of Kav Laoved’s Refugee and Asylum Seekers Department come from Asmara. When speaking to many of the asylum seekers who sought help from Kav LaOved, I heard from them stories about how much they miss Asmara, their friends and family, and their home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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