Begun in 2012, the MiniActive grassroots initiative aims to empower Arab women in East Jerusalem to improve their immediate surroundings. Today, this citywide network of 1,000 volunteers works throughout the city, driving grassroots change, improving local infrastructure, and giving hope. Uniquely, they work with the municipality and other service providers, and not against them, despite the delicate and complex situation on-the-ground. For the first time, MiniActive enables participants to be stakeholders in their own future.

MiniActive works in the difficult conditions of East Jerusalem – more than 325,000 Arabs, living in abject poverty, with poor physical infrastructure and few services. Additionally, many Arab residents do not have the tools to effect change on their own, and they feel disempowered and disengaged from civic processes.

Working in small groups of 4-6, MiniActive has solved thousands of problems (200 – 250 each month) and improved everyday lives of tens of thousands of residents. Women register complaints with the municipality and other service providers (telephone, electricity, water, municipality, etc.) and follow up until the requests have been filled. They determine priorities, according to their passion about the problems, their importance and urgency, as well as the chances of success.