In the Negev desert, Amal Abo Alkom is building the future of Bedouin women

Caroline Haïat
16 hours ago
6 min read

"Even the future doctor will stay at home like all the other girls." This sentence left a lasting mark on Amal Abo Alkom—yet it never stopped her from pursuing her dreams. Born in Wadi al-Na’am, an unrecognized village in the Negev, Amal has fought from a very young age to carve her own path within a society that does not always foster women’s success and, for many, makes their journey more difficult.

Raised in a Bedouin community where traditional norms still weigh heavily on girls’ education, Amal proved that determination can open every door. For more than two decades, she has embodied a deep commitment to empowering women and advancing Bedouin society. An activist and social entrepreneur, she has initiated and led a lot of projects in collaboration with institutions, businesses, foundations, and non-governmental organizations.

Holding, among other qualifications, a Master’s degree in Strategic Planning and Crisis Management from the Department of Economics at the University of Leeds in Jordan, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Amal never gave up. At the head of several social initiatives, she is now not only a role model for an entire generation of women, but also living proof that perseverance and hard work ultimately bear fruit.

A mother of three daughters, Amal fights every day to support her community. As the director of the NGO Bedouin Women for Themselves, she founded in 2007 and which is dedicated to women’s empowerment, she stands out for her striking personality and unwavering determination—qualities that have enabled her to take on major leadership roles. "A Bedouin woman should not stand on the sidelines—she should be at the center, around the decision-making table", she emphasizes.

A Path Marked by Obstacles

"Even before I understood what it meant to have rights or access to infrastructure, I was learning, reading, studying. Until the ninth grade, I had one dream: to become a doctor. One day, I told a doctor that I wanted to be the first Bedouin woman doctor from the Al-Azazmeh tribe. He gave me an old white coat as a gift. I wore it while playing. I used boxes as medical tools, made a fake stethoscope, examined the people around me. Everyone called me ‘doktora’—and I truly believed it. I grew up with that goal", Amal recalls.

Very quickly, however, she understood that reality was different. In many places, girls are seen as the honor of the tribe—and that often means staying at home. In her village, there was no high school, no transportation, and no adequate infrastructure. Although the situation has improved today, many young girls in the Negev still cannot pursue their education through to matriculation.

After ten years away from school, Amal met a Jewish woman who would profoundly change her life: Hanna Schneider. "I will help you go back to school", she told her.

"One sentence. One act of trust. One door opened—and my life changed."

Amal returned to her studies with deeper awareness, determination, and purpose. She graduated with honors in Be’er Sheva, then pursued higher education.

"When I finished, I went to my mother—may she rest in peace—and said: 'Now, medicine.’ She replied: ‘How? I am a single mother. I don’t have the money to send you to university.'"

Amal then trained in managing a home daycare and worked for three years.

"I helped my mother, of course—but I realized this was not my place. I was not born just to raise children and change diapers. So I handed over my daycare to another woman in the village who had just completed her training."

She later specialized in local government management, becoming the first Arab woman to study the field a program run by the Canadian Embassy. She also participated in the UN Resolution 1325 program on women, peace, and security, and completed professional training with the organization Itach Maaki in protection, leadership, and gender policy.

Large-Scale Initiatives

Over the years, Amal Abo Alkom has been involved in numerous social and educational initiatives, driving deep and lasting change. She volunteered extensively, supervised educational programs across Bedouin towns, and led a local sustainability center in Segev Shalom in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Heschel Center, raising awareness among children and adults about ecological practices.

"I wanted to create something that no one could take away from me. We started with two people, no budget, no space. We faced criticism, but we courageously launched activities for children and women. The Ministry of Defense even provided buses so we could organize outings", she recalls.

Gradually, the initiative grew—from two women to eleven, then twenty-four. Together, they created Manad—a unique intergenerational center, the "House of Bedouin Grandmothers for Culture and Heritage." Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the project promotes cultural tourism and meaningful encounters with Bedouin women who share their stories, traditions, and heritage.

Between 2022 and 2024, Amal also co-founded and led the NGO Shamsuna, dedicated to developing innovative solar energy solutions for Bedouin villages and off-grid communities. What began as a simple idea quickly grew into a one-million-shekel initiative, demonstrating her ability to turn vision into tangible impact.

Her impressive journey has led her to hold several influential roles, including serving as a special advisor on government policy related to Bedouin society. Her work has been widely recognized: she is a graduate of the Mandel Leadership Program (2024), a recipient of the Presidential Award for Volunteerism (2023), and the Yaffa London-Yaari Award for Women’s Leadership.

A committed speaker on Arab-Jewish cooperation and community justice, Amal is also a peace ambassador and a member of the UN World Peace Council. She is part of the Israeli Climate Forum under the auspices of the President of Israel.

In 2022, she became the first Bedouin woman to run for the Knesset, as part of the Telem party led by Moshe Ya’alon.

Amal Abo Alkom receives an award from the Israeli president

October 7: A Turning Point

As her impact continued to grow, October 7 marked a profound turning point. Amal was personally affected: her close friend Tamar Kedem sent her a message moments before being killed, and four members of her family lost their lives in a Hamas attack.

"The pain was unbearable. Yet that very evening, in the midst of shock and grief, I made a decision: to act."

She immediately withdrew 4,000 shekels, added 3,000 from her own savings, bought food, and began distributing it. The next day, she opened an emergency center in a school to assist residents of unrecognized villages.

"For three days, no official aid arrived. So I activated all my networks and asked for milk for children, diapers, and basic necessities."

Thanks to the mobilization of hundreds of volunteers, thousands of families received support, with over 1.4 million shekels in donations collected. At the same time, more than 300 women participated in training programs in first aid and personal and community resilience.

"After eleven days, I turned my own home into a logistics center. Even today, it remains a place of support and solidarity."

Amal Abo Alkom and the volunteers of the Bedouin Women for Themselves association

A Woman of Peace

Amal defines herself as "a woman of peace." She participates in dialogue initiatives in Israel, Jordan, and beyond, fostering hope for reconciliation.

"I meet people who truly believe in coexistence. But that word doesn’t fully resonate with me. I prefer to speak about shared existence—about living together. We have a responsibility to leave a positive mark for future generations."

While progress has been significant, challenges remain—particularly inequality and lack of integration.

"My mother was my first school. She couldn’t read or write—and we only discovered it much later. Yet she sat beside us while we did our homework, correcting us, guiding us. We believed she could read because she believed in us before the world did."

A single mother at 28, without resources, she showed remarkable resilience—farming, raising animals, selling cheese and eggs.

"Everything I know about entrepreneurship, management, and the value of work, I learned from her."

Today, Amal is pursuing a PhD focused on strategic and technological issues, with the ambition of integrating gender and Bedouin societal perspectives.

Based in Segev Shalom, she serves as an advisor for the advancement of women’s status in the Neve Midbar Regional Council and continues to carry a bold vision: building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society where women hold a central place.