Birzeit University’s Najjad Zeenni Information Technology Center of Excellence (NZITCE) and the Palestinian Child Club in the Amari Refugee Camp opened a computer lab in the camp on February 7, 2013.

 

 

 

The opening ceremony was attended by Palestinian Presidential Advisor for Communications and Information Technology Sabri Saydam, Birzeit University Vice President for Community Outreach Samia Huleileh, Acting German Representative to the Palestinian Authority Franz Maurer, NZITCE Director Ibrahim Abu Qutaish and Project Manager George Yerousis.

NZITCE has also signed an agreement with the club to provide computers, supervise training courses for the camp’s children and support the club with new trends in technology and information.

This initiative is designed to create channels of communication between Palestinian refugee camps and Birzeit University. Within the framework of the project, NZITCE will establish a network of computer clubs in refugee camps and surrounding villages.

Engineer Yerousis noted that computers at the club were selected to be "Think Clients" run by "Desktop Virtualization," which will reduce maintenance costs. The computer club will be open to camp students aged eight to 14. The lab’s activities will be managed by a dedicated team of student volunteers from Birzeit University and Siegen University in Germany.