Almasar Library - Education Centre for Sahrawi refugees

The Saharawi people are refugees who fled war in their homeland of Western Sahara fifty years ago. Since then, they have lived in refugee camps in the Algerian desert.

The Almasar Library is located in the refugee camps and was founded by Najla Mohamed-Lamin. When she started the library five years ago, she had three goals in mind:

1) To give children a place to read and learn outside the classroom;

2) To provide essential and much-needed health education and early prevention cancer screeening for women;

3) To educate community members about concrete sustainability practices that can help address the severe food and water insecurity in the camps.

Under extremely difficult conditions and with very little funding, Najla and her team have managed to provide essential and life-changing services to their community:

1) The Almasar Library has given over 400 children access to books, literacy material and educational support, allowing them to explore their imaginations and curiosity;

2) Over 200 Saharawi women have participated in breast cancer awareness programmes – and around 90 women are currently benefiting from Almasar’s breast-feeding programme, including the provision of breast pumps to young mothers to prevent unnecessary and potentially dangerous infections;

3) Almasar has distributed over 100 seedlings, and around 30 families have received training and seeds to take an essential first step towards alleviating food insecurity.

In 2023, the BBC honoured Najla's work by including her in their list of 100 inspirational and influential women, recognising her activism for women and environmental rights.

To learn more about the Centre, listen to this podcast episode with Najla and journalist Maxine Betteridge-Moes:

https://newint.org/resistance/2025/palestine-western-sahara-struggle-one-najla-mohamed-lamin

But the desert is unforgiving and life in the camps can be extremely hard – this is where YOU come in!

Your support will make a difference and any amount is welcome!

With a donation of €40 you will help the Almasar Library Centre to continue and expand its vital work. Changing lives, one book and one seed at a time.

The money you donate will be transfered to Najla and used to pay the salaries of the Education Programme Coordinator, the Health Coordinator, the Reading Support Teacher, and the Security Guard. It will also be used to cover unexpected expenses that may arise at any time due to the harsh climate.

Along with others I have followed with great admiration how Najla has built up the Almasar Library Centre. Her dedication and passion is truly inspiring. With your help, we would like to support her valuable work through this fundraising campaign.

Thank you!