Hebron / PNN /
Along the winding alleys of Hebron’s centuries-old Old City, nestled between stone walls dating back more than 300 years, a small library pulses with life. There, every day, a woman named Abeer Al-Usaila walks steadily, a picture book in hand, surrounded by children. The scene repeats itself, yet it is anything but ordinary: a woman leading a caravan of dreams toward a library she rebuilt—stone by stone, soul by soul.
From Feeding the Body to Nourishing the Mind
Al-Usaila, a native of the Old City, refused to let her family’s inherited property—a former butcher shop—remain lifeless and shuttered. “The place had a soul, and I wanted to bring it back… my way,” she said, gently brushing dust off a shelf of children’s books.
With personal effort and support from friends and well-wishers, she undertook the painstaking process of restoring the space—not just as a physical renovation, but as an act of cultural and communal revival. The result was Maktabat Abeer Al-Thaqafiya (Abeer’s Cultural Library), the first of its kind in Hebron’s Old City.
“It’s not just a place for books—it’s a safe space for children,” she explained. Today, the library is home to dozens of children’s titles, but it has grown into something larger. Abeer now organises art and reading workshops, puppet shows, educational events, and awareness sessions—providing a rare and nurturing environment for children growing up in an area marked by occupation and hardship.
Al-Usaila’s goal is to rekindle a love for print books—away from digital screens. “Opening this library was a childhood dream,” she said. “I’ve always been a reader. I used to go to libraries just to sit and read. But we didn’t have one in the Old City. Now we do.”
Three Spaces, One Vision
The library is divided into three sections: one for selling and exchanging books, another for on-site reading, and a third dedicated to children's activities. In partnership with the West Bank Library Network and the Tamer Institute for Community Education, the children’s section hosts regular sessions involving reading, discussion, and creative responses—be it drawing, storytelling, or paper crafts.
In the colourful corners of the library, children’s laughter fills the air. Eight-year-old Rafif Al-Harbawi shared, “I’ve been coming here for a long time. Miss Abeer reads us stories, and we either draw or act them out. Like in the story Meow Meow, we brought it to life! I’ve learned how to draw and do lots of fun things.”
Ten-year-old Mariam Al-Muhtasib added proudly, “I love coming here and being with Miss Abeer. I’ve learned so much from her. Now I do creative things at home, and my room looks beautiful. Without these activities, I wouldn’t have learned any of this.”
Books and Belonging
Abeer views the children not as beneficiaries, but as the future. She is committed to creating a safe, creative space where knowledge and imagination can flourish freely.
The library’s collection is diverse—ranging from literature, law, and Islamic studies to English-language titles, poetry, and an array of children’s books, many of which introduce young readers to their cultural heritage, family values, and the everyday lives of past generations.
In a city where daily life is shaped by political tension and limited opportunity, Abeer’s library stands as a quiet act of resistance and resilience—a reminder that stories can be stronger than fear, and knowledge more enduring than walls.
Concluding her conversation with PNN, Abeer urged families to visit the Old City and explore its treasures. “Bring your children,” she said. “Let them read. Reading feeds the soul.”
This story was produced as part of the "Qarib" Programme, implemented by the French media development agency CFI and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).
