Our Projects

WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (WEDO)

Partner Profile – Institutional Experience

1. Who We Are?

WEDO is a Palestinian non-governmental organization with long-standing experience in water and environmental development, groundwater protection, wastewater and sanitation, environmental monitoring, GIS/spatial analysis, community and municipal engagement, environmental education, ecosystem protection and Mediterranean cooperation. WEDO has documented participation in EU-funded cooperation, including ARCHIMED and ENPI CBC MED initiatives, as well as USAID-supported research and transboundary watershed work.

For European consortia, WEDO can act as a Palestinian field and implementation partner, supporting pilot sites, stakeholder engagement, municipal cooperation, field data collection, GIS and environmental mapping, monitoring, community activities, dissemination and local uptake.

2. Strongest Verified EU / European Experience

WATER-MAP – 2006–2007

Programme/Donor: INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED / European Union | Role: Project Partner

Focus: Groundwater management; vulnerability mapping; GIS; spatial analysis; decision support

Outputs: Groundwater vulnerability maps; monitoring/management support

Evidence: https://keep.eu/projects/1616/Development-and-utilization–EN/

MIDEMP – 2011–2015

Programme/Donor: European Union | Role: Project partner

Focus: Territorial planning; local development; public-sector capacity; participatory planning

Outputs: Capacity-building and local-development outputs

Evidence: https://keep.eu/projects/4054/Empowerment-of-Management-Ca-EN/

Protecting Groundwater – 2012–2014 documented phase

Programme/Donor: European Union | Role: Lead Palestinian implementation partner

Focus: GIS training; environmental risk mapping; groundwater contamination monitoring; field surveys; municipal coordination

Outputs: Environmental risk maps; field hazard database; GIS capacity building; monitoring framework

Evidence: https://ecopeaceme.org/2012/05/24/signing-ceremony-of-wedofoemes-new-groundwater-project/

Regional NGO Master Plan – Lower Jordan River – 2015

Programme/Donor: European Union – Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Programme | Role: Co-leading NGO / project vision and stakeholder partner

Focus: Water resources; environmental planning; land use; agriculture; tourism; governance; sustainable development; spatial analysis

Outputs: Regional NGO Master Plan and strategic objectives

Evidence: https://ecopeaceme.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/palestinian-ngo-master-plan-for-sustainable-development-of-the-lower-part-of-the-jordan-river-basin.pdf

3. Water, Wastewater & Transboundary Expertise

  • Watershed Modeling and Biomonitoring — Watershed / Hydrology / Biomonitoring / Water Quality: Watershed modeling; biomonitoring; hydrology; water-quality assessment; restoration
  • Hebron/Besor Watershed GIS & Environmental Data — GIS / Watershed / Environmental Data: ArcGIS geodatabase; environmental data integration; watershed analysis
  • Alexander / Zomer Stream Priority Initiative — Wastewater / Industrial Pollution / Transboundary Water: Industrial wastewater pollution; watershed management; cross-border municipal cooperation
  • Good Water Neighbors Priority Initiatives — Water / Sanitation / Environment / Community Planning: Sanitation; rainwater recharge; industrial pollution; watershed protection; cross-border planning
  • Advancing Sanitation Solutions in West Bethlehem Villages — Sanitation / Wastewater / Community Infrastructure: Sanitation; wastewater; village infrastructure; water protection
  • Treated Wastewater Reuse – Jericho — Wastewater Reuse / Irrigation / Water Governance: Treated wastewater reuse; irrigation; governance; stakeholder analysis

4. GIS, Environmental Monitoring & Community-Based Work

  • Community GIS (CGIS) / Youth Water Trustees (2009–2010): GIS field data collection; hazard mapping; environmental education; youth training. Outputs: Hazard reports; photographs/videos; GIS maps; youth recommendations
  • Protecting Groundwater (2012–2014 documented phase): GIS training; environmental risk mapping; groundwater contamination monitoring; field surveys; municipal coordination. Outputs: Environmental risk maps; field hazard database; GIS capacity building; monitoring framework
  • GIS Day – Auja Environmental Center (2012): GIS applications; environmental mapping; hazard mapping; water management. Outputs: GIS demonstrations and practitioner/youth learning
  • Rehabilitation of Springs – Wadi Fukin (2009): Spring rehabilitation; water conservation; rural water resources; community cooperation. Outputs: Three rehabilitated springs
  • Cross-Border Terraced Landscape Preservation (2012): Terraced landscapes; water resources; cultural landscape; conservation; cross-border cooperation. Outputs: Priority initiative; stakeholder engagement; planning concept

5. Selected Project Portfolio

Project

Period

Donor / Programme

WEDO Role

Main Expertise

WATER-MAP

2006–2007

INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED / European Union

Project Partner

Groundwater management; vulnerability mapping; GIS; spatial analysis; decision support

Good Water Neighbors (GWN)

2001–ongoing multi-phase

Sida; EU Partnership for Peace; other phase-specific support

Palestinian implementation / community partner

Shared water resources; community cooperation; youth; water conservation; environmental education; municipal engagement

Community GIS (CGIS) / Youth Water Trustees

2009–2010

Part of Good Water Neighbors / FoEME program

Community/GIS implementation partner

GIS field data collection; hazard mapping; environmental education; youth training

Protecting Groundwater

2012–2014 documented phase

European Union

Lead Palestinian implementation partner

GIS training; environmental risk mapping; groundwater contamination monitoring; field surveys; municipal coordination

Regional NGO Master Plan – Lower Jordan River

2015

European Union – Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Programme

Co-leading NGO / project vision and stakeholder partner

Water resources; environmental planning; land use; agriculture; tourism; governance; sustainable development; spatial analysis

Watershed Modeling and Biomonitoring

2004–2007

USAID – Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)

Research / technical partner

Watershed modeling; biomonitoring; hydrology; water-quality assessment; restoration

Hebron/Besor Watershed GIS & Environmental Data

Project-related research period

USAID/MERC-related research collaboration

GIS / research partner

ArcGIS geodatabase; environmental data integration; watershed analysis

Alexander / Zomer Stream Priority Initiative

2012 documented initiative

Good Water Neighbors program; MERC research evidence associated with WEDO/AIES

Palestinian technical/community partner

Industrial wastewater pollution; watershed management; cross-border municipal cooperation

Good Water Neighbors Priority Initiatives

2012

Good Water Neighbors program

Community planning and implementation partner

Sanitation; rainwater recharge; industrial pollution; watershed protection; cross-border planning

Cross-Border Terraced Landscape Preservation

2012

Good Water Neighbors program; partner funding varies

Community/environmental planning partner

Terraced landscapes; water resources; cultural landscape; conservation; cross-border cooperation

Advancing Sanitation Solutions in West Bethlehem Villages

2012 documented initiative

Good Water Neighbors program

Local/community planning partner

Sanitation; wastewater; village infrastructure; water protection

Rehabilitation of Springs – Wadi Fukin

2009

Donor not confirmed in source reviewed

Implementing partner

Spring rehabilitation; water conservation; rural water resources; community cooperation

Lesser Kestrel Conservation

1999–2000

Project-specific donor not confirmed

Environmental education/conservation partner

Wildlife conservation; schools; youth; cross-border environmental education

West Bank Environmental Clean-up Project (WECUP)

Historical; exact dates require archival confirmation

Donor not confirmed in source reviewed

Palestinian environmental partner

Solid waste; clean-up; environmental education; community awareness

Treated Wastewater Reuse – Jericho

Publication 2017; study period not isolated

Academic/research collaboration

Research partner

Treated wastewater reuse; irrigation; governance; stakeholder analysis

MIDEMP

2011–2015

European Union

Project partner

Territorial planning; local development; public-sector capacity; participatory planning

GIS Day – Auja Environmental Center

2012

WEDO / FoEME activity

Organizer / training partner

GIS applications; environmental mapping; hazard mapping; water management

6. Core Capabilities

Water Resources & Groundwater — Groundwater protection, vulnerability mapping, watershed management, water conservation and environmental risk assessment.

Wastewater & Sanitation — Wastewater management, sanitation planning, transboundary wastewater pollution and treated-wastewater reuse.

GIS & Spatial Analysis — GIS field data collection, environmental hazard mapping, groundwater vulnerability mapping, spatial databases and decision support.

Environmental Monitoring — Water-quality assessment, biomonitoring, field surveys, pollution assessment and environmental data integration.

Ecosystems & Biodiversity — Intermittent/transboundary streams, spring rehabilitation, terraced landscapes, biodiversity and environmental education.

Municipal & Community Engagement — Municipal coordination, local councils, youth Water Trustees, stakeholder workshops, community action and awareness.

Regional Cooperation — Palestine–Jordan–Israel cooperation, Mediterranean partnerships and multi-institutional implementation.

Planning & Governance — Integrated water planning, territorial planning, water governance, policy-oriented research and stakeholder coordination.

7. Relevance to PRIMA 2026

Topic 1.1.1 – Decentralised Brackish Water Desalination: WEDO can contribute Palestinian pilot-site support, GIS/site assessment, groundwater and water-resource context, agricultural water-use/reuse knowledge, stakeholder engagement and monitoring.

Topic 2.1.1 – Non-Perennial Watercourses: WEDO has particularly strong historical alignment through transboundary stream research, watershed modeling, biomonitoring, ecosystem/water-resource protection, spring work and Jordan Valley planning.

Topic 1.4.1 – WEFE Nexus Community of Practice: WEDO can contribute stakeholder engagement, local knowledge, capacity building, community outreach, environmental education and policy uptake.

8. Relevance to Interreg Euro-MED

WEDO’s sustainable-development portfolio can support thematic projects linking water, ecosystems, communities and sustainable tourism. The strongest proposition is to position WEDO as a Palestinian demonstration and stakeholder partner, supported by its water/GIS/environmental experience and its regional network.

9. Strategic Value to an EU Lead Partner

  • Documented EU-funded transnational project participation.
  • Palestinian access to municipalities, communities and environmental/water stakeholders.
  • Field implementation and pilot/demonstration capacity.
  • GIS, environmental mapping and spatial-analysis capability.
  • Groundwater, wastewater, sanitation and water-reuse expertise.
  • Experience with transboundary water and regional cooperation.
  • Community/youth environmental education and dissemination.
  • Ability to connect technical work with local planning and policy dialogue.

10. Partner Institutions & Networks

  • EcoPeace / Friends of the Earth Middle East
  • Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
  • Ben-Gurion University
  • Al-Quds University
  • University of Twente
  • Royal HaskoningDHV
  • Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
  • Global Nature Fund
  • European Union / ARCHIMED / ENPI CBC MED / SWIM cooperation frameworks
  • Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli municipalities and local communities

11. Evidence Classification

Verified project records and primary project documents should be used first in proposals. Research publications and secondary historical sources should be clearly labeled as research/team or historical experience unless WEDO’s internal archive confirms a direct contract. The Excel database supplied for this profile contains the project-level evidence URLs and status classifications and should be retained as WEDO’s internal evidence register.

12. Recommended Partner Statement

Water and Environmental Development Organization (WEDO) is a Palestinian NGO with extensive experience in water resources, groundwater protection, wastewater and sanitation, GIS and environmental mapping, environmental monitoring, ecosystem protection and community-based environmental development. WEDO has participated in EU-funded Mediterranean cooperation, including ARCHIMED and ENPI CBC MED initiatives, and has contributed to USAID-supported transboundary watershed research and regional water planning. WEDO can provide Palestinian pilot sites, stakeholder access, municipal and community engagement, GIS/spatial analysis, field monitoring, capacity building and dissemination for European and Mediterranean research, innovation and cooperation projects.