MA’AN is an independent non-governmental, Palestinian developmental and training institution . Launching its work in the area of food processing and quality control, MA’AN worked with women’s cooperatives and collectives to create-income generating projects that also worked towards national autonomy for the Palestinians.
MA’AN’s mission is to work towards sustainable human development through
- the development of Palestinian human resources
- conducting developmental research
- the creation of sustainable agricultural models
- enhancing Palestinian women’s skills and knowledge
- empowering the most marginalized sectors in Palestinian society
MA’AN Center’s Library and Resource Unit specializes in the fields of agriculture, development, and management. It contains a large collection of books, articles and documents, of journals, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets, as well as training videos, audio-cassettes, and multi-media CDs in Arabic and English. To encourage public awareness, MA’AN also conducts market research and publishes feasibility studies in order to provide reliable information and data to policy- and decision-makers.
MA’AN publishes a series of booklets and brochures as well as a weekly “Agricultural and Developmental Issues” page Al- Ayyam local newspaper. The page contains articles with information on local agricultural affairs and relevant development issues. In addition, MA’AN translates texts in related fields to facilitate exchange of information and to reach maximum public coverage.
MA’AN offers courses in fields of management, finance, computer literacy and English language training. It also offers on-site consultative services to local governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The English language website provides information about MA’AN’s activities and research. It also provides lists of the institute’s publications.