Who We Are?

YREC Team

As a GIS expert, Younes Rjoub possesses extensive experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and applications. Over the years, he has worked on a diverse array of environmental and health-related projects in the West Bank and across the region. His expertise encompasses urban planning, transportation, solid waste management, environmental hazard reduction, groundwater protection, as well as water and wastewater management and research. Younes has also authored numerous publications in these fields.

Drawing on his comprehensive background in GIS engineering, consulting, and training, Younes founded YERC eight years ago, following over 18 years of self-employment. Under his leadership.

Our MissioN

Through research, education, and collaboration with communities and partners, YREC envisions a future of true sustainability achieved through best practices in water and sanitation treatment, environmental protection, and landscape management. We aim to involve youth in creating equal opportunities through various projects.

Mission

YREC is dedicated to protecting local and regional natural resources and the global environment. Using GIS and remote sensing, YREC develops studies and management plans to address environmental issues and promote sustainable energy practices. We seek to improve and develop joint research-demonstration programs with local, regional, and international partners.

Strategic Approach

Available Resources

YREC’s full and part-time staff have expertise in GIS, mapping, infrastructure planning, research, human resources management and development, project management, water and wastewater management, r environmental studies and assessments. Our departments specialize in coordination, procurement, recruitment, technical guidance, research, training, capacity building, finance, and IT. We stay current with new methods and tools at both local and global scales. Our main office is located in Bethlehem, Palestine.

YREC Experiences

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (PA), Bethlehem GIS Expert
June, 01 to June26 2024

Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer June 2024
Updated the nomination document for the “UNESCO World Heritage Site” inscription for Palestine, Land of Olives and Vines: Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir.
Converted master plans from AutoCAD to GIS layers.
Developed GIS databases and provided digital maps, GIS layers, and nomination documents.

Faith in Nature Ltd, International GIS Work, United Kingdom

1. Conducted GIS research and data collection in Jomoro District, Ghana.
2. Directed the Nawun-Biya team in identifying suitable land for the Ankasa Mill, Plantation, and Co-op.
3. Conducted climate risk assessment and flood susceptibility mapping using GIS and AHP multicriteria analysis.
4. Delineated watersheds and water basins.
5. Duration: December 1, 2022 – March 30, 2023.

Beit Jala Municipality, Department of Urban Planning & GIS Unit

- Updated GIS database for 28 blocks, including parcels, buildings, roads, and land use categories.
- Designed a comprehensive survey atlas and mapping indicators.
- Duration: October 2022

Mataze Fire Company, Jerusalem

- Designed standards for sprinkler system installations.
- Utilized AutoCAD and Elite hydraulic calculation software for MEP design improvements.
- Conducted data analysis and environmental reporting.
- Prepared aerial photos, satellite images, and thematic maps.
- Duration: July 30 – August 30, 2022

Community Development Group & ARSEYA

- Prepared AutoCAD master plan studies for wastewater and stormwater management.
- Designed geodatabase structures for manholes and sewage pipes.
- Provided GIS models and final environmental reports.
- Duration: October 2015 – July 2016

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies Environmental Research Consultant
1st January 2017 – 30th July 2022

As a student and as an intern at the Arava Institute. Studied and served as an intern in 2017. From 2018 to June 30, 2022.
Served as a research assistant under Prof. Clive Lipcin supervision, and served as academic advisor for MA degree in environmental studies at Tel Aviv University.
As a research assistant, carried out many tasks in GIS, mapping, and data analysis for projects conducted by the Center for Transboundary Water Management (CTWM) through:

Development of a wastewater management plan for the off-grid Bedouin communities of the Negev and for off-grid Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Work on a USAID-funded MERC Project titled: Greywater Reuse for Smallholder Agricultural Development in Off-Grid Communities in Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan.
Assistance in a joint research project of the AIES and Tel Aviv University on Chromium Speciation, Partitioning, and Environmental Fate in the Transboundary Hebron Stream/Wadi Al-Samen.
Collection of Health Data on COVID-19 infections in Palestinian communities in the Hebron watershed as part of a study entitled: Novel Methods to Detect SARS-COVID-2 Virus in Hebron Stream of West Bank in Palestine. Identified and mapped sampling sites for the spread of SARS-COVID-19 in Hebron City and the surrounding villages as part of a wastewater epidemiology project.

Assisting in developing maps for the development of a wastewater sampling and monitoring protocol in Israel and the West Bank.
Identifying and gathering all appropriate data needed to generate maps.
Providing maps and graphics for reports, proposals, and other documentation as needed.
Participating in workshops and/or meetings as appropriate.
Together with the CTWM director, preparing all appropriate reporting for projects requiring maps and graphics.
Collecting the positive cases in Hebron for Corona-virus (PCR).

American Center Jerusalem, U.S. Embassy Jerusalem | Participated in the Dream to Reality Workshop

May 10-19, 2022

Tuesday, May 10, 20:00-21:30: The Application Landscape & Story Canvas

- Opened with an informative session to provide an overview of what it takes to get into graduate school.
- Equipped participants with an effective tool, “The Application Story Canvas,” to organize their application story and process.

Thursday, May 12, 20:00-21:30: Writing the Personal Statement

- Covered where to start, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to ace the personal statement and application essays.

Tuesday, May 17, 20:00-21:30: CV & Interview Skills

- Learned data-driven tips for crafting a standout CV.
- Prepared for the interview process.

Thursday, May 19, 20:00-21:30: Q&A and Student Case Studies

- Provided a chance to learn from practice.
- Participants who showed commitment and engagement throughout the course received professional feedback on their outputs from the facilitator.

Damour for Development Community Project Manager

- Assisted with various GIS, mapping, and data analysis tasks for CTWM and other projects, including wastewater management and environmental health assessments.
- Duration: January 1, 2017 – July 30, 2022
- Worked on the sewer network of Hebron Municipality, and master plan of Raw Wastewater in Hebron stream, for 7 communities: Karma, Rabud, Abu al GHuzlan, Abu Al ‘Urqan, Abu Al ‘Asja, Kh. Ar Rahwa, YREC teams take GPS coordinate for each samples, and 3 springs and, 2 wells, and also, by digitizing the wastewater and streams in the areas, show all roads and built-up areas, and Palestinian communities, and settlements by preparing maps, master plan, and Environmental reports to stop pollution and to develop and initialize environmental health assessment of the Wadi al-Samen in Hebron, funded by USAID MERC (2019-2020).
- Designed master plan of wastewater in Al-Auja in areas (A & C). Then, also created maps of communities like Al Auja, Marj al Ghazal, Halhul, Deir Al- Hatab, and Bedouins communites by tacking samples wastewater and greywater Integrate molecular biology and chemical assessments of water quality with spatial analysis, to check the pollution and protect the ground water vulnerability, the aims of the project to get benefit of the Palestinian farmers, funded by USAID MERC (2018-2020).
- Collected samples from Wadi Fuqin in Bethlehem to measured water quality in the springs because the community suffers from wastewater flows from settlements surrounding and to supported farmers with technical reports and created maps of XY geographic coordinate system discharging of wastewater and giving all the material to B’Tselem to into ministry of justice (Supreme Court of Israel) to take design to stop discharging wastewater from Beitar Illit settlement into wades and spring to help Palestinian farmers to grow crops and drinking clean water from spring, funded by USAID MERC (2017-2019).
- Designed and published tourist maps in the book of Bethlehem a Pictorial Guide: Bethlehem district, Historical maps of Bethlehem, Cultural Heritage Routes map, and created and published a tourist map in the book of Beit Jala Built GIS database for historic sites. Assisted the planning teams in preparing tourist maps for the various historic sites and, contributed to a GIS database for 40 communities in Palestine and integrating the GIS new maps for 40 communities into the GIS maps of the targeted municipalities and villages councils, assisted in preparation of the conservation and management of Historic City Center Project, and contribute to integrating the prepared Geodatabase with the system of the targeted municipalities (Burqin and Beit-Jala), and build Database Network domains for Beit Jala Municipality by updating the 2014 Master Plan, Design Cultural Heritage Preservation Map of Burqin, created Reports and Forms Study and link it with ArcGIS for Burqin and Beit Jala, by Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation (CCHP), (2014-2019).

YREC has significant experience in Palestinian and Jordanian projects, including support for municipalities, agricultural sectors, tourism, and NGOs. We conduct in-depth assessments and evaluations in Area C, combining desk reviews with primary data collection. Our work includes:

Sewer network design and environmental reporting for Hebron Municipality.
Wastewater management plans for Al-Auja and surrounding communities.
Water quality assessments and support for farmers in Wadi Fuqin.
Master planning and GIS training for municipalities in the West Bank.
Nomination and GIS database development for UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Our work involves creating GIS databases, preparing maps, and providing actionable recommendations. This includes mapping for cultural heritage, environmental protection, and infrastructure development.

YREC has specific experience handling in different project in Palestinian and in Jordan, context including direct experiences supporting the municipalities agricultural sector, tourism, non-governmental organizations, private sector etc., implementing score of awareness raising and advocacy campaigns, and conducting of hundred in depth assessments, evaluations in Areas C.

YREC is proven, assessments and studies are always well researched an also, combining comprehensive desk reviews with primary data collection includes: intern alia, site visited, interviews, as required by the specific demands of each bid or / assignment. After triangulation evidence and synthesizing finding. YREC provides clear analysis and maps and constructive, practical, action oriented disaggregated achievable recommendations in line with over all goals of the programmatic strategies and reality.

This includes experience in sectors relevant for the current assignment, infrastructure of GIS master plan of villages in Area C, and Bedouin communities, integrate molecular biology and chemical assessments of water quality and supported farmers for his agricultural farm, initialize environmental health assessment, GIS training for municipalities, reports and map, Land-cover, Land-use, Updated the nomination document to inscribe Palestine, published tourist maps, sustainable technologies for water management, Assisted the planning teams in preparing tourist maps for the various historic sites, Conducted field survey of illegal dumping of solid waste, Conducted hazard reduction analysis to protect ground water, Maintained GIS data layers and updated layers with SQLite, Developed topographic map of the Cultural Landscape, updating water networks in Bethlehem governorate. The following represents some examples of YREC relevant previous work:

Prepared master plans in West Bank in Area C in different location: (South Hebron in Kh am al Daraj, al Najajdah Imnesiel, Al Dahriyehet, Khashim al Daraj and Dora and as Samou’ and east Jerusalem for Bedouin communities, and trained engineers in different municipalities from southern Hebron to Northern West Bank to use GIS ArcMap, ArCatalog, and created geodatabase for Israeli violation orders to stop Palestinian to build houses in area C, and prepared reports and data survey by using GIS and maps , and Land cover and land use survey and geodatabase (2018-2019).
Worked in the nomination document to inscribe Palestine, Land of Olives and Vines: Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir on the “UNESCO World Heritage Site”, Bethlehem. YREC convert all the master plans from AutoCAD to GIS layers, prepared GIS Database dictionary and filtering by design the GIS structure of the site, prepared maps for field survey and using hyperlink for all documents and pictures from field survey in the GIS database, and data entry and join the excel sheet from field survey to the tables in GIS, created final adjustment and comments, and also, provide final GIS layers with database design and maps statistics and digital maps and GIS layers, by Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Palestinian Authority (MoTA) (2017-2018).
Work in al-Makhrur area of land-cover.
YREC, worked with Al-Masri for General Safety Company, by using Master plan and AutoCAD, for fire suppressions system in hotels and designed graphic brochures (2016-217).