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InterAction Member Activity Report WEST BANK/ GAZA
InterAction Member Activity Report WEST BANK/ GAZA
December 2009
Table of Contents
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Report Summary
InterAction member organizations are active all over the West Bank and Gaza. Programs
can be found in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nabulus, Hebron, Gaza City, Deir al Balah, Beil Labiya,
Khan Younis, Rafah, Tulkrem and Jenin regions, among other regions.
Many of our members serve in partnership with various local and international NGOs and
also work together with United Nations (UN) agencies and government ministries.
Furthermore, many of our respondents receive funding from the international donor
community, including private donations as well as funds from the United States
government.
The rapidly deteriorating humanitarian access, for both supplies and staff, due to the
blockade, is cited by operational agencies as a major concern. Another often cited concern
for organizations working in the West Bank and Gaza is the precarious security situation.
These are some of the issues highlighted in the report.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Historical Background
Historical Background: The British Mandate for Palestine was established in 1922. In 1947
the United Nations General Assembly recommended a partition of this territory into a
Jewish and an Arab state. Shortly after this, the first Arab-Israeli War ensued after the State
of Israel proclaimed its independence in May 1948. Negotiated agreements at the end of
the war defined the Armistice Demarcation Lines, such that the Gaza Strip came under
Egyptian authority and the West Bank was controlled by Jordan. This was the situation
until 1967 when, during the Six-Day War, Israel gained control of both the West Bank and
Gaza, the Syrian Golan Heights, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and East Jerusalem.
In 1993, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which had been founded in 1964
by the Arab League, signed the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles, also referred to
as the Oslo Accords. This Declaration led to the establishment of a Palestinian Authority, an
interim organization, which was mandated to govern the West Bank and Gaza Strip for a
period of five years. During this time negotiations to determine the final status of the
Palestinian Territories were envisaged. Despite numerous attempts this situation has not
yet been settled.
In January 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Parliamentary elections, and in the following
year fighting broke out between Hamas and Fatah forces in Gaza. Fatah was defeated and
Hamas took control of Gaza, while Fatah remained dominant on the West Bank. The
Israelis subsequently imposed an economic blockade on Gaza which created a
humanitarian crisis.
In December 2008, following prolonged rocket fire from Hamas Israel launched an attack
on Gaza. A three week military conflict between Hamas and Israel ensued, resulting in
considerable loss of life and widespread damage to infrastructure and housing. During the
fighting and after it ended the Israelis tightened their economic blockade on Gaza
Maintenance of the blockade has s made it difficult to rebuild the damaged infrastructure
and resulted in a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. US government
restrictions on the activities of American NGOs also have impeded their ability to assist in
recovery efforts.
Humanitarian Situation: The living situation for many of the 2.5 million people in the West
Bank has deteriorated in the last few years with a large part of the population living below
the poverty line Restrictions on the flow of people, goods and services have severely
impacted the economy. In particular, unemployment rates have been rising.
There are approximately 1.5 million people currently living in the Gaza Strip, making it one
of the most densely populated areas in the world. Unemployment rates have increased
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
since 2007, and are now estimated to be over 40%1, which ranks amongst the highest in
the world. Restrictions on the movement of goods and people and the destruction of
infrastructure have led to a crippling of the private sector. This has been a major
contributing factor to the rising unemployment figures. Current estimates from UNRWA
estimates show that 325,000 people in the Gaza strip are living in abject poverty, whilst an
additional 350,000 are living below the official poverty line2. This further implies that they
are not able to meet their daily requirements for food and are thus an estimated 75%3 of
the population is classified as food insecure and therefore reliant on food aid from the
various humanitarian organizations. There is also a severe electricity deficit in Gaza, with
the majority of the population experiencing frequent and extensive electricity outages. A
water and sanitation crisis in the region has left 10,000 people without access to a water
network and an additional 60 percent of the population does not have a continuous water
supply4. There has been a stark deterioration in the quantity and quality of medical
facilities at the same time and many studies are showing increasing incidences of chronic
disease and malnutrition, especially among children.
Humanitarian agencies working in the West Bank and Gaza, are finding it increasingly
difficult to fulfill their mandates due to the violence, restrictions on their movement and
access to humanitarian goods. Yet, despite these conditions, our reporting member
organizations continue to deliver essential services and supplies to support their relief and
development programs in these regions.
1 UN OCHA (August 2009) Locked In: The Humanitarian Impact of Two Years of Blockade on the Gaza Strip accessed from:
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/Ocha_opt_Gaza_impact_of_two_years_of_blockade_August_2009_english.pdf in
December 2009
2 UNRWA (2009) Gaza accessed from: http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=64 in December 2009
3 Ibid 1
4 Ibid 1
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
CARE
Mercy Corps
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Glossary of Acronyms
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American Friends Service Committee
US Contact
William Pierre, Assoc. Regional Director Middle East and Africa
1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA
Tel: +1 (215) 241 7142
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.afsc.org/middleeast/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/19499
Introduction
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a practical expression of the faith of the
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Committed to the principles of nonviolence and
justice, it seeks in its work and witness to draw on the transforming power of love, human
and divine. This AFSC community works to transform conditions and relationships both in
the world and in ourselves, which threaten to overwhelm what is precious in human
beings. We nurture the faith that conflicts can be resolved nonviolently, that enmity can be
transformed into friendship, strife into cooperation, poverty into well-being, and injustice
into dignity and participation. We believe that ultimately goodness can prevail over evil,
and oppression in all its many forms can give way.
The Popular Achievement model focuses on inviting young people to become active citizens
in their society. It teaches and/or enhances skills the youth need to be able to fully
contribute to improvement and preservation of their communities as well as the society as
a whole. Popular Achievement is collaboration among AFSC, Palestinian educational
institutions, and community based organizations working with youth.
InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Scale of Program: Approximately 900 high school youth and 100 college youth participate
in the program annually in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Forty Public/Popular
Achievement youth groupsps are organized by partner organizations each year. The annual
budget is approximately $360,000
$360,000.
Special Concerns
Like most organizations operating in Gaza it has been nearl nearly
y impossible for Gaza-based
Gaza
staff (all Palestinian) to leave Gaza either for the West Bank or to other countries. AFSC’s
Director has been able to leave Gaza once in the past two years through Egypt. Access to
Gaza has been limited to visits by AFSC expat
expatriate
riate staff based in Jerusalem or Jordan. The
political unrest in Gaza has presented security challenges to a greater or lesser degree.
During the fighting between Hamas and Fatah forces in 2007 one of the programs staff was
seriously wounded by gunfire during a peace march.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Field Contact
Rebecca Bardach, Director, JDC Middle East Program
P.O. Box 3489, Jerusalem 91034 Israel
Tel: +972 2 655 7998
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Since 1914, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has given global
expression to the principle that all Jews are responsible for one another. Working today in
over 70 countries, JDC acts on behalf of North America's Jewish communities and others
worldwide to rescue Jews in danger, provide relief to those in distress, revitalize overseas
Jewish communities, and help Israel overcome the social challenges of its most vulnerable
citizens. JDC also provides non-sectarian emergency relief and long-term development
assistance worldwide.
Special Concerns
Face to face meetings are sometimes postponed because of the security situation.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
William Corcoran, President
1522 K Street, NW, Suite #600
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: +1 (202) 842 2766
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.anera.org
Field Contact
Jerusalem
Robert Crothers, Middle East
Representative
13 Ragheb Nashashibi Street
Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem
Tel: +972 2 581 9560 Gaza City
Fax: +972 2 581 9277 Salah Sakka, Deputy Chief of Party
Email: [email protected] Al Thawra Street
P.O. Box 145
Jamal Al-Aref, Deputy Middle East Gaza City, Gaza
Representative & Chief of Party Tel +972 8 282 0329
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Introduction
American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) a leading provider of development, health,
education and employment programs to Palestinian communities and impoverished
families throughout the Middle East. Through partnerships and close consultation with
local groups and communities, ANERA responds to economic, health and educational needs
with sustainable solutions and also delivers humanitarian aid during emergencies.
ANERA is one of the largest American non-profits working solely in the Middle East for 40
years, operating in Lebanon, West Bank, Gaza and Jordan. Every project is planned in
consultation with the communities that ultimately benefit — an approach that ensures
relevancy and commitment, and secures the long-term viability of the projects.
ANERA has designed and implemented innovative projects in health, education, and job
creation that benefit thousands of people in virtually every village and town of the West
Bank and Gaza. ANERA has aimed at strengthening and building on the service capabilities
of key Palestinian municipalities, educational and health institutions, charities, and
agricultural cooperatives.
ANERA is a registered 501(c)3 NGO and a founding member of InterAction, a coalition of
over 193 US - based non-profits working to promote worldwide development.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Health Goal/Objectives: To enhance the health and well-being of Palestinians, especially the
poor and children under five.
o Decrease malnutrition through fortified milk and biscuits as well as health
education in response to growing poverty.
o Increase health education for patients with chronic health diseases.
o Provide psychosocial and rehabilitative support especially for traumatized children
but also for youth and adults.
o Implement micro-nutrient program in the West Bank.
o Continue to efficiently provide donated medicine and medical supplies, in addition
to social supplies, to vetted partners with preference to underserved regions.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
o ANERA combats vitamin deficiency with the Milk for Preschoolers program
that offers a nutritious snack of fortified milk and wafers to 20,000
preschoolers daily.
o ANERA has delivered thousands of shoes and backpacks for preschoolers.
o ANERA has donated over $2 million worth of food packages and personal
hygiene supplies to thousands of displaced Gaza families.
In its 41 years, ANERA has successfully implemented projects across all governates in the
West Bank and Gaza including rural areas, large cities and refugee camps. ANERA’s largest
program, and largest USAID grant, Emergency Water & Sanitation & Other Infrastructure
(EWAS II) currently has projects in 32 villages and cities in eight of the nine districts in the
West Bank.
Funding Sources: ANERA is funded from a variety of public, private and government
donors which includes: USAID, IFAD, Secours Islamique-France, Intel, State of Qatar, ARD,
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
United Holy Land Fund, AED, Japan International Volunteer Center and Johnson & Johnson
Family of Companies Contribution Fund.
Scale of Programs: In Fiscal Year 2009 (June 1st 2008-May 31st 2009) ANERA’s total
expenditures were $48,500,000 with over 96 percent going into projects in the West Bank,
Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan. ANERA projects assist over one million individuals a year.
Special Concerns
In Gaza, current Israeli policies restrict the import of items to repair and rehabilitate
destroyed infrastructure in Gaza, including agriculture lands, wells, health facilities, schools
water/sanitation facilities and other infrastructure.
Border restrictions currently do not allow West Bank and Jerusalem residents to enter
Gaza where expertise, such as that of agriculture redevelopment, is in high demand. Also,
restrictions on travel between West Bank and Jerusalem complicate the commute for
ANERA staff living in the West Bank, which impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of
ANERA as a whole.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
CARE
US Contact
Adotei Akwei
1625 K St, Suite 500
Washington DC, 20009
Tel: +1 (202) 595 2818
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.care.org
Field Contact
Martha Myers, Country Director
Gaza, CARE Office, Mellinum Building
Al-Masayef Street, Al-Irsal Area
Tel: + 972 2 2954949
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.carewbg.org
Introduction
CARE is an international, non profit, secular confederation of 12 member organizations
committed to fighting global poverty and delivering emergency aid in times of
humanitarian crisis. CARE International’s Secretariat is based in Geneva and the 12
members work in more than 60 countries around the world.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
CHF International
US Contact
Anson Knausenberger, Program Officer
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: +1 (301) 587 4700 Ext. 1631
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chfinternational.org
Field Contact
Lana Abu-Hijleh, Country Director
Omar Bin Abdel Aziz Street
Behind Trust Insurance Building
Al-Bireh/Ramallah, West Bank, Palestine
Tel: +011 (972) 2 2429522
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
CHF International's (CHF) mission is to be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low-
and moderate-income communities around the world, helping them to improve their social,
economic and environmental conditions. Since 1952, CHF International has worked in
more than 100 countries worldwide. Currently we work in an average of 30 countries per
year. Our core practice areas include: economic development; development finance;
emergency response & transition; community infrastructure, housing and services; and
governance and civil society. We also work through several cross-cutting themes:
community engagement, gender, enhancing peace and stability, HIV/AIDS and global
health, investing in youth and the environment. We have been operating a range of
programs in the West Bank and Gaza since 1994.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Under the Gaza Emergency Assistance Program, CHF is procuring and distributing food and
non-food items to conflict-affected families in five governorates of Gaza. Emergency
commodity distributions are conducted directly from warehouses located in Gaza City, Deir
al Balah, Beit Lahiya, Khan Younis and Rafah. CHF is working through Local Action
Committees (LACs) and other local partners to distribute much-needed goods to 4,500
households by the end of November 2009.
Through infrastructure activities, the CHF Emergency Jobs Program (EJP) provides short-
term and long-term employment opportunities to Palestinians in targeted communities,
villages, and municipalities. To date, 5,699 persons have been employed for a total of
147,982 person-days and 81 projects have been completed with 36 more underway. The
total number of beneficiaries as of September 2009 was 831,285. Over the life of the
program, EJP aims to increase the quality of life for at least 1,500,000 Palestinians in more
than 150 vulnerable communities in the West Bank and Gaza through some 200 small-scale
infrastructure projects.
CHF continues to work with the WFP, as it has since 2002, to provide services and
distribute food for work, food for training, and assistance to vulnerable groups in the West
Bank and Gaza. CHF works with local groups such as LACs to select and register
beneficiaries, and organize work and training for them, in addition to receiving and storing
food, and monitoring its transport and distribution. As of September 2009, CHF had
assisted 80,000 families in the West Bank and 200,000 in Gaza.
USAID awarded CHF a grant in 2005 to implement the Local Democratic Reform (LDR)
Program. Through LDR, CHF is improving the capacity of local governments in the West
Bank and Gaza to better serve their citizenry through transparent and participatory,
democratic approaches. The program works with all levels of government, promoting
citizen participation and volunteerism, power sharing, cooperation and consensus building,
government-citizen dialogue and government performance oversight. The LDR program
works with seven partner municipalities throughout the Gaza Strip. During the past year,
LDR has conducted governance outreach activities for over 3,000 youth, provided training
to more than 50 municipal leaders and staff, and has completed minor infrastructure
rehabilitation works in five communities.
Through the Ryada credit program, CHF offers micro and small loans to low- and moderate-
income Palestinians for home improvement, small business development, or for the
purchase of an apartment or residential land. In addition to lending its own resources,
Ryada works in partnership with five banks in the West Bank and Gaza to service their
microfinance portfolios. Ryada has an outstanding portfolio of $11.5 million, 4,974 clients,
and branches located in Ramallah, Tulkarem, Nablus, Hebron & Gaza. Due to the ongoing
crisis in Gaza and the resulting economic difficulties, lending through bank partnership
agreements has been suspended in Gaza.
The Loan Guarantee Fund (LGF) is providing small and medium enterprise loan guarantees
to eight local bank partners. It is furnished with $5.8M in operating capital from the MEII,
$160M in loan guarantees from OPIC and the PIF, and $2.3M for bank technical assistance
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
and training from USAID. The operating grant expires January 15th, 2012, and the
technical assistance is set to end August 31, 2011. At end September the LGF portfolio
consisted of 159 loans in the amount of $38,324,100. It maintains a Portfolio at Risk (PAR)
>30 of zero.
Special Concerns
Working in a conflict-affected environment such as the West Bank and Gaza presents
numerous challenges, although the trust CFH has established with local communities has
enabled CHF to surmount many of these. CHF did, however, have to suspend microfinance
lending in Gaza through bank partnerships, as a result of economic difficulties. Navigating
USAID’s Partner Vetting System has also presented its share of logistical challenges. Still,
programs in Gaza are 100% audited and have regularly undergone Inspector General
audits and anti-terrorism reviews, with zero findings.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Cullen Larson, Regional Representative,
Europe/Middle East
229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 402
Atlanta, GA 30303
Tel: +1 (404) 681 4600
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.crs.org
Field Contact
Mathew Davis, Country Representative
Shajarat Adurr
Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem
Tel: +972 2 656 9240
Email: [email protected]
Photo: Catholic Relief Services
Introduction
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S.
Catholic community. CRS alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need
without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS aims to assist impoverished and
disadvantaged people overseas to promote the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the
human person.
CRS employs about 40 national and fou expatriate staff working in four offices in Jerusalem,
Bethlehem, Hebron and Gaza. CRS funding comes from USAID, International Caritas
network, private foundations and individual donors.
CRS’ goal is to promote citizen engagement, thereby supporting good governance, to foster
economic and social opportunities for all, and to facilitate a relationship of solidarity at
local, regional and international levels.
Business Development, Cooperative and Credit: CRS works with three fair trade
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
organizations. The first is the Palestinian Fair Trade Association located in Jenin, which
develops guidelines for fair trade certification of olive oil producing cooperatives. The Holy
Land Handicraft Cooperative Society in Beit Sahour has artisans that produce olive wood
items and The Women’s Solidarity Project outside Bethlehem sells traditional Palestinian
embroidery items produced by rural women. CRS has helped both groups connect to global
fair trade networks.
Disaster and Emergency Relief: Also beginning in January 2009, CRS received three
consecutive USAID awards for distributions in Gaza of basic items such as cooking pots,
food items and clothing for 17,569 families.
CRS, with funding from the United Kingdom’s Disaster Emergency Committee (CAFOD) and
working with local partners, rehabilitated five public spaces in Gaza serving over 3,000
people. CRS also provided psychosocial support to approximately 2,000 individuals. As a
part of the Gaza Emergency Response,
CRS, with support from Secours Catholique, trained 180 women in home-based food
production. The food was distributed to 2,000 poor families unable to afford basic food
items. CRS serves over 75,000 people in the West Bank through the Protracted Relief and
Recovery Operation funded by WFP. In response to a spike in the price of basic food
commodities CRS began in January 2009 to pilot the WFP’s Emergency Urban Voucher
Program in urban and semi-urban areas of the West Bank. CRS provides 2,605 families
(about 20,000 people) with vouchers valued at nearly $55 a month to purchase dairy and
animal products from local merchants.
Human Rights/Peace/Conflict Resolution: For the past three years CRS has supported
B’Tselem’s Visual Impact: Documenting the Seldom Seen project. This project provides
families in the West Bank and now Gaza with video cameras to document incidents that
would not otherwise be seen or acknowledged. B’Tselem is the leading Israeli organization
advocating for human rights in the Occupied Territories.
CRS has supported the Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (RCHRS) recent
exhibition, Disseminating Tolerance, Human Rights and Citizenship through Fine Arts. The
RCHRS promotes tolerance education. The focus is on training leaders within marginalized
groups such as women and youth to influence their own communities.
Youth Development: CRS and a private foundation supported Birzeit University’s Center
for Development Studies to develop a participatory research study of youth in Gaza. Youth
identified issues for change with the goal to take the research results to advocate with
national and international authorities. By engaging youth throughout Gaza, CRS aims to
generate a movement of youth from different social, political and economic backgrounds
who engage their communities and voice a message for peace and justice.
In cooperation with Bethlehem University and the Jesuit Pontifical Biblical Institute in
Jerusalem, CRS has committed to a three-year program of support to the Cardinal Carlo
Maria Martini, SJ Institute for Leadership at Bethlehem University. This academic institute
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
will explore the theory and theology of social action rooted in the lives of young
Palestinians among Christian and Muslim communities. The Institute will respond to the
recognized need among Palestinians to foster foundational values that will support
democratic change in Palestine.
The Youth Voices for Community Action project is a 30-month project funded by USAID
Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation (DCHA/CMM). CRS and its partner, Middle
East Non-violence & Democracy (MEND) estimate 360 direct and 4860 indirect youth
beneficiaries between the ages of 18-25 from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The project
will produce a cadre of Palestinian youth who use nonviolent approaches to mitigate
conflict within their communities.
Advocacy: CRS advocates locally and in the U.S., for a just, peaceful resolution to the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict. The Catholic Campaign for Peace engages Christian, Muslim and Jewish
religious leaders and communities in the United States, Israel and Palestine. By using its
overseas operations to inform the efforts of US-based colleagues, CRS links youth and
peace-building initiatives to concrete activities in the US aimed at raising awareness and
advocating greater support for peace. Moreover, CRS hosts several delegations from the US
throughout the year to expose American constituents to the humanitarian and socio-
political realities of Israel and Palestine.
Special Concerns
CRS through its programming in diverse areas of Palestine operates within a complex
security environment. CRS through its membership in AIDA advocates for increased access
for humanitarian workers and the movement of goods to areas in need.
CRS’ security is primarily ensured by local acceptance and through our involvement with
local partners who share responsibility for the projects. CRS also networks with other
NGOs, UN Agencies and GANSO and where possible, local governments and communities.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Donna Derr, Director Emergency Response Program
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 409
Washington DC 20002
Tel: + 1 (202) 481 6937
Fax: +1 (202) 546 6232
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.churchworldservice.org
Field Contact
Steve Weaver
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Founded in 1946, Church World Service (CWS) is the relief, development and refugee
assistance ministry of thirty-five Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations in the
United States. Working with partners, CWS builds interfaith and intercultural coalitions to
eradicate hunger and poverty and promote peace and justice around the world. Within the
U.S., CWS assists communities in responding to disasters, resettles refugees, promotes fair
national and international policies, provides educational resources and offers
opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through
participation in CROP Hunger Walks, the Blankets+ Program and the CWS Kits Program.
Secondly, most of CWS's work in the West Bank is focused on projects by CWS’s
implementing partner, the International Christian Committee of Jerusalem (ICC). ICC has
served the Palestinian community in the West Bank since 1948, at which time CWS began
its collaboration with ICC. ICC is an ecumenical organization governed by the heads of local
churches and staffed by local professionals. ICC’s stated goal is to improve and protect vital
economic and social infrastructure by enhancing basic services, socio-economic conditions
and support economic growth for Palestinians living in refugee camps and elsewhere. ICC
works with all segments of the Palestinian community in the West Bank, with a focus on
women and children.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
A particular focus of CWS-supported ICC work is a water cistern program, which reaches
the poorest, most vulnerable Palestinian families in the West Bank. Recent work has been
focused in Jenin Governorate. Beginning in 2004, ICC’s program has facilitated the
sustainable development and use of household water cisterns. ICC and the PWA identify
water insecure villages that do not fall within the PWA’s five-year plan of action to link
villages to the water grid.
The ICC project manager approaches the village council of the target villages and
introduces the aim of the project as well as the criteria for application of potential
beneficiaries and responsibilities of participants. The village council and ICC evaluate the
applications to select those most in need of assistance. Female-headed households and
families with large numbers of children (four or more) are given preference in the selection
process. The adults from the selected families then participate in a series of capacity
building trainings. This component ensures the families have the knowledge and skills to
fully benefit from the water and to ensure sustainability of the cisterns.
o Hygienic practices for better water cistern use (six hours)
o Conservation in water consumption (12 hours)
o Grey waste water uses in domestic farming (12 hours)
o Maintenance techniques (six hours)
o Technical specifications and significance (three hours)
o Means of maintaining quality of water (three hours)
The selection and training phases of the project are implemented from January to August.
The building of the water cisterns takes place from September to November in three stages:
excavation, construction and piping, finishing and cleaning. The ICC engineer monitors each
step of this process. ICC must sign off on each phase before the next can begin. This ensures
that the cisterns meet the necessary specifications. The recipients of the cisterns contribute
about 15 percent of the cost of the cisterns. In most cases this is through providing the
labor. There are two types of cisterns, the traditional pear-shaped, which are hand-dug, and
the rectangular cistern. The program also creates employment as workers are hired for the
construction of rectangular cisterns that requires machinery. The program supports
construction of cisterns with a minimum capacity of 70 cubic meters. These cisterns
provide the families with 40 liters of potable water per person per day for at least six
months. Water sometimes needs to be purchased during the dry season, but it can be
bought at cheaper rates because the family can store larger quantities. The program builds
or rehabilitates about 40 cisterns each year.
ICC collaborates with the Palestinian Water Authority and the EWASH network of NGOs
working in the West Bank.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Field Contact
Vladimir Pran, Chief of Party
Gemzo Suites, Al-Moba'deen St. 5
Al Bireh, Palestine
Tel: +972 54 565 4934
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is an independent NGO
providing professional support to electoral democracy. Through field work, applied
research and advocacy, IFES strives to promote citizen participation, transparency, and
accountability in political life and civil society.
Geographical Information Systems and Mapping: In the previous year, IFES and the CEC
cooperated on the definition of local election districts. IFES provided hardware, software
and technical assistance to the CEC. An IFES geographic information system expert
coordinated work and provided technical assistance to the technical committee tasked to
define electoral boundaries.
Capacity Building Trainings and In-house Continuous Staff Education: As part of the
capacity building program, IFES supports and organizes programs that further the
educational and professional development of the CEC and its staff. These programs are
specifically designed to cover all aspects of electoral systems and processes that include,
but are not limited to: study trips; international and regional seminars and trainings;
Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) workshops; and
tailor made courses on subjects that are of the most interest and relevance to IFES’s
mission and CEC’s work.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Strengthening the Transparency of the Elections Commission: The CEC was, and is, working
within a challenging and unstable environment, both politically and with regard to security.
In order to protect its operational freedom and independence, the CEC was operating in a
manner that was criticized by international observation missions as being less than
transparent. In order to evaluate such criticism, IFES will conduct an assessment and
present the findings and recommendations to the CEC.
Voter Registration Reform: To support the reform of the voter registration and switch
from a periodic to a continuous model. To assist, IFES has organized international study
trips for CEC staff in order to look at voter registration practices abroad. In addition, IFES
produced a concept paper which outlined a model of continuous voter registration. In the
next phase, the CEC is planning to embark on drafting regulations, manuals, and
operational plans related to voter registration, including IT support.
IT Infrastructure: The CEC has in previous years upgraded its IT infrastructure and
supporting systems with USAID’s support. The CEC has requested an assessment of the
infrastructure set up in order to optimize the efficiency of the IT infrastructure. IFES is
interested in supporting this assessment by recruiting appropriate IT expert(s).
Research & Development: The CEC and IFES have discussed the creation of an R&D
department. In an effort to promote the CEC’s strategic orientation regarding the
development of an R&D department, IFES provides support that includes, but is not limited
to facilitation of strategic planning for R&D; study trips; participation in seminars, and the
provision of literature and research materials.
Special Concerns
The special concerns of IFES/ West Bank and Gaza are the general concerns of all of
organizations working in the Palestinian territories, including security, and issues of
access, specifically for CEC staff from the Gaza Strip.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Field Contact
Mr. Gregory Manzuk, Country Representative, IOCC, Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza
P.O. Box 44073
Jerusalem 91441
Tel: +1 (972) 2 581 1041
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is the official humanitarian aid and
development organization of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the
Americas (SCOBA). In the spirit of Christ’s love, IOCC offers emergency relief and
development programs to those in need worldwide, without discrimination, and
strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox Church to so respond. In seeking to provide
assistance to the poor, either in response to emergencies or to long term socio-economic
development needs, IOCC’s fundamental policy is to develop a sustainable indigenous
capacity to carry out such programs. All programs are guided by program integrity and the
highest standards of stewardship to donors.
Agriculture and Food Security: In 2009 in the West Bank, IOCC has provided training and
inputs for household agricultural activities such as home gardens and beekeeping, with a
focus on training women, for approximately 50 families.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Education: In 2009 in Jerusalem and the West Bank, IOCC has provided educational
materials. Approximately 24,000 textbooks as well as 240 school kits have been distributed
in 40 schools.
Health Care: In 2009 in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, IOCC has distributed
medical supplies and/or medicines to 15 medical institutions, and has provided support for
the operations of one local health care institution serving physically and developmentally
disabled patients.
Shelter: In 2009 in Gaza, IOCC provided 135 grants for repairs to homes that had been
damaged by the January war.
Special Concerns
IOCC shares the concerns of many local and international agencies working in
Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza regarding access of staff and goods to the Gaza Strip, as well as
access into and movement within the West Bank.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Mario Rizos, Director of Infrastructure
1621 North Kent Street, Suite 400
Arlington, VA 22209
Tel: +1 (703) 248 0161
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ird.org
Field Contact
Photo: International Relief and Development
Lubna Ghanayem , Country Representative
Zahret El Masayef Bldg, 1st floor
Irsal St. Ramallah, West Bank
Tel: +972 2 295 80 61/3
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
International Relief & Development (IRD) is a charitable, non-profit NGO dedicated to
improving lives and building livelihoods among people in the most economically deprived
parts of the world. Since 1998, IRD has provided over $1.25 billion worth of goods and
services in humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations around the world. IRD
provides cost-effective relief and development programs in seven core sectors and special
projects as needed.
Roads: Many of the roads in the West Bank are badly deteriorated asphalt or gravel with no
safety features like guard rails or shoulders. IRD has so far improved more than 20
kilometers of these roads by excavating major segments, paving, and installing appropriate
safety features to the highest quality and safety specifications.
Schools: IRD constructed three new schools—two elementary and one secondary—for
boys in the southern portion of the West Bank. Each school has 17 or 18 classrooms so
hundreds of children now have a clean and modern place to learn.
Water System Rehabilitation: The Bureen Water system project brings clean water to
marginalized villages in the Nablus district. IRD constructed an internal 22 kilometer steel
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
pipe water network, a 300 meter squared concrete circular reservoir, a booster pump
station, and over four kilometers of steel pipe connecting the new network to the existing
main Nablus transmission main. IRD is also implementing the UNICEF-funded Emergency
WASH Repairs and Rehabilitation Project. This pilot project aims to rebuild and renovate
damaged water and sanitation facilities in 16 schools. In addition, IRD offers professional
consulting services for repairing and rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities in
order to provide school children with a healthy and safe environment.
Relief & Emergency response in Gaza: Since January 2009, IRD provided relief and
humanitarian assistance to assist those affected by the conflict in the Gaza strip. Hundreds
of Palestinian families were left without shelter and little medical assistance for the
wounded was available. Immediately following the incursion, IRD mobilized its team in the
West Bank to work with Palestinian authorities to assess which medical commodities
would be needed. After getting permission from the Israeli government to import supplies
into the country, IRD began to coordinate a joint effort with multiple partners to make
medical supplies available. As of September 2009, IRD has donated more than $5 million in
pharmaceutical and medical supplies to the Gaza strip in cooperation with the Ministry of
Health (MoH), WHO and local NGO partners.
Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies: After the war ended, IRD cooperated with the
Palestinian MoH and the WHO to deliver a shipment of pharmaceuticals (CoC Cefzil) worth
$830,000 and medical supplies valued at $1 million. IRD’s partnership with Gleaning for
the World made possible the donation of medical supplies, consisting of surgical and
pediatric accessories, special instruments, general medical exam kits, respiratory and
orthopedic equipment, among many others. The United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) and
Salam Ya Seghar (Al Sharjeh Fund) covered the costs of transportation and clearance for
commodities.
Shelter Assistance—Solar Flash Lights: In May 2009, with support from the Salam Ya Seghar
Fund, IRD also delivered a shipment of 2,700 solar flashlights to the poorest families in the
areas of Jabalia, Beit Lahia, Gaza City, and Khan Younis. These flashlights served families
living in areas continuously affected by blackouts.
Humanitarian Assistance for Gaza: Under CEP/ARD, IRD delivered humanitarian aid
packages to over 26,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Packages consisted of food, clothing,
recreational, and hygiene kits. Local NGOs and IRD worked together to provide health
lectures alongside package distribution and coordinate recreational days for children and
their families. IRD used the remaining funds to supply families with 72,000 school
notebooks. IRD assisted 3,456 families in the Gaza Strip through targeted, community-
based parcel distribution of donated pharmaceuticals and enhanced health care services at
seven independent community clinics and local health NGOs. These health care providers
serve 25,500 people annually in remote areas of the Gaza Strip. With the help of local
partners, IRD conducted 33 community outreach activities that benefitted over 4,050
persons. Outreach activities included nutrition and basic hygiene lectures, and recreational
days for children and their parents.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Saadia Abdu
3655 Wheeler Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304
Tel: +1 (703) 370 7202
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.islamicreliefusa.org
Photo: Islamic Relief
Field Contact
Dr. Mohammed Al Sousi, Country Director, Islamic Relief Palestine
Ahmed Abdulaziz Street
Western Alkenz Mosque, Al Remal, Gaza City, Palestine
Tel: +970 8 283334/2837889
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Islamic Relief USA (IR USA) is an international relief and development agency dedicated to
alleviating the poverty and suffering of the world’s poorest people. IR USA responds to
disasters and emergencies and works with local communities to reduce poverty by
promoting sustainable economic and social development - regardless of race, religion or
gender. Based in Washington, DC, IR USA has partner offices in 35 countries worldwide
that coordinate, fundraise and implement its emergency and development programs. IR
USA also has four regional offices in the United States that develop domestic projects
serving local underprivileged communities. Over the years, IR USA has developed a
reputation for rapid response to emergencies and an innovative approach to development,
inspired by Islamic humanitarian values.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
- The funds will be used to provide assistance across the sectors of sustainable
livelihoods; shelter, education, food and nutrition, health, water and sanitation,
agriculture, psychosocial and child welfare.
- Projects include job creation, rehabilitation of damaged schools, school feeding for
students, increasing capacity of emergency and intensive care unit departments,
improving primary health care clinics, improving the health environment of
kindergartens in disadvantaged areas, digging new water wells, rehabilitation of
agricultural wells and an orphans one-to-one sponsorship programme.
- Location of work includes across all five Governates of the Gaza Strip; Rafah, Middle
Area, Khan Younis, Gaza City and North Gaza.
- Sources of funding include the following: IRW partners, private donors and
institutional donors such as, OCHA, ECHO, DEC, Scottish Government and SIDA.
West Bank:
- The program in the West Bank is smaller in comparison, but is being scaled up in
2010 to around $4,480,955. Projects include water and sanitation; livelihoods and
education, i.e. construction of an UNRWA school in Askar camp in the north of West
Bank; improving health/sanitation units in girls schools in marginalized areas;
supporting the rural women in Tubas and establishing water connections in Zbeidat.
- Location of work includes Jordan Valley, Hebron, Salfeet, Hewara, Tubas, Zbeidat,
Jenin and other villages in the West Bank.
Special Concerns
Access for containers: Permission has not been granted for the access of IR/PAL containers.
Access at crossing: All crossings into Gaza need to be operational and the number of trucks
and range of commodities allowed into the Gaza Strip need to be increased.
Access for IRW staff (via Israel crossings): All entry permits for three British passport
holders were declined in February and March 2009.
Tax exemption: IR PAL made a request for the tax to be waived on a vehicle purchase for
our West Bank office. It was declined on 1 April 2009 for security reasons (it was issued by
the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, but declined by the Israeli customs department).
INGO’s are eligible for a 30 percent tax exemption.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Vicki Robb, Grants and Projects Manager
17300 West 10 Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48075
Tel: +1 (248) 424 7493 ext 7251
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.lifeusa.org
Field Contact
Iyad Suleiman, Regional Director
Abbas Royal Center, 3rd floor
P.O. Box 51010, Nazareth 16166
Photo: Life for Relief and Development
Tel: +972 4 6081267, +972 54 4783993
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) is a nonprofit organization deeply rooted in the
belief that saving lives should be a priority of all mankind. For this reason, LIFE is dedicated
to alleviating human suffering regardless of race, color, religion, or cultural background.
LIFE works to provide assistance to people across the globe by offering humanitarian
services such as health care and education, as well as catering to casualties of social and
economic turmoil, victims of hunger, natural disasters, war, and other catastrophes.
Special Concerns
Security concerns include: 1) Entering food, ambulances and medicine to Gaza, 2) Working
and distributing food and medicine under bombing in January 2009. 3) Working in Gaza
without contacting the local government.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Mercy Corps
US Contact
Seth Rue, Assistant Program Officer
45 SW Ankeny Street
Portland, OR 97204
Tel: +1 (503) 896 5000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mercycorps.org
Field Contact
Andrew Dwonch
Mercy Corps, across from Lutheran World Federation
Al Tur, Mount of Olives
Jerusalem, Israel
Tel: +972 2 628 4563
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build
secure, productive and just communities.
The US Department of State-funded Sports for Life program developed the capacity of
sports clubs in the West Bank that cater primarily to athletes with disabilities to respond to
the needs of that population. In partnership with Nike and the University of Illinois, the
program had wheelchair basketball coaches from the US travel to the West Bank to offer
trainings, then their Palestinian counterparts travelled to Chicago to reinforce what they
have learned. In addition to a coaching exchange, high caliber competition-level
wheelchairs and Nike sports equipment were distributed to several sports clubs in the
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
West Bank. The program also built the capacity of disability groups to engage with
communities and local government in advocacy efforts.
The Middle East Children’s Institute in New York is funding a program that offers support
to young children in schools, hiring teachers locally to provide additional tutoring to small
groups of girls in northern West Bank. Hiring teachers locally helps to stimulate the
economy and balance gender employment in the region.
In Gaza, Mercy Corps is transitioning away from food and NFI distributions in response to
the January 2009 incursion by the Israeli Defense Forces. While still ongoing for the time
being, Mercy Corps is striving to stimulate the suffering economy with short-term jobs
through two cash-for-work programs that hire people for jobs important to the wellbeing
of Gazans, including encouraging struggling fisherman to work together to fix the nets that
offer them their sustenance, agricultural workers that help under-supported farmers grow
and harvest their crops, women who bake biscuits, couscous and cookies for local school
snacks, and tailors and seamstresses who make school uniforms and medical coats for local
clinics, schools and hospitals.
Mercy Corps supports the youth and their families that have undergone extreme trauma as
a result of Operation Cast Lead by providing psychosocial support to children. This support
includes safe and healthy activities that encourage cooperation, nonviolence and
communication. Mercy Corps also developed a Gaza-specific Comfort for Kids workbook, in
cooperation with the Children’s Psychological Health Center in Fresno that offers young
people a place where they can confront their troubles and express their concerns
artistically.
Finally, Mercy Corps is also connecting ambitious young Gazans with youth all over the
world in an online exchange supported by the platform of the Global Citizen Corps.
Students communicate via video conference, engage in cross-border projects and exchange
cultural understanding online. They create, develop and share, all while learning valuable
IT skills that can contribute to their future careers.
Mercy Corps worked to a limited extent with CRS in the West Bank on the procurement and
distribution of equipment for the Sports for Life program.
Mercy Corps also works in the West Bank with PITA to facilitate the development of
Palestinian ICT companies and pairing with international corporations in outsourcing
relationships.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Mercy Corps works with several local community-based organizations in the West Bank
and Gaza to implement our educational and psychosocial support programming, and in the
West Bank, Mercy Corps has worked over the last year with Save the Children.
Special Concerns
Security is, and has always been, Mercy Corps’ primary concern in every environment in
which Mercy Corps works. In Gaza, this is particularly true. During times of instability, the
organization has curfews in place for staff and limited movement restrictions. Mercy Corps
requires constant communication with program directors. Goods passage is also a very
significant concern of Mercy Corps in Gaza. Shelter programming has been put on hold
because of severe limits on access to construction materials. Due to Israel’s control of
resources there are regular power outages and clean water is difficult to find reliably.
In the West Bank, checkpoints and barriers can lead to substantial delays in staff and goods
movement that can raise administrative costs. Difficult customs processes in Israel can
make goods procurement a very lengthy process.
Exit of any Palestinian from the West Bank or Gaza, and then from Israel is difficult or
impossible and can lead to long delays or necessitate new strategies for implementing
programming.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Relief International
US Contact
John Maris, Senior Vice President
5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1280
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: +1 (310) 478 1200
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ri.org
Field Contact
Kirsty Wright, Country Director
El Hashem Old Building
12, Irthshad Street, El Bireh
Tel: +972 2 242 3959
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Relief International (RI) is a humanitarian, non-profit, non-sectarian agency that provides
emergency relief, rehabilitation and development services throughout the world. Since
1990, RI’s programs have linked immediate emergency assistance with long-term
economic and livelihood development through innovative programming at the grassroots
level. RI’s goal is to serve the most vulnerable members of society, such as victims of
natural disasters, civil conflicts, and the poor worldwide with a specific focus on the most
marginalized groups and individuals. RI incorporates the theory of empowerment into all
aspects of programming through the promotion of self-reliance, peaceful coexistence,
reintegration of vulnerable groups, and by providing holistic, multi-sector, sustainable, and
pro-poor programs that bridge the gap between emergency relief and long-term
development at the community level.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Special Concerns
Access into Gaza for national staff and access into the West Bank for Gaza staff are
continuing issues for effective program planning and management. Getting commodities
into Gaza for program work remains a logistical challenge.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
US Contact
Nicole Licata Grant, Associate Director, Operations, Middle East/Eurasia
54 Wilton Road
Westport, CT 06880
Tel: +1 (203) 221 4111
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.savethechildren.org
Field Contact
Jerry Farrell, Country Director West Bank/Gaza
Jerusalem, P.O. Box 25042
Shu’fat, 97300 Israel
Tel: +972 54 313 4280
Email: [email protected]
Photo: Save the Children
Introduction
Save the Children is a leading independent organization that creates real and lasting change
for children in need in the U.S. and around the world. For more than 75 years, Save the
Children has been helping children survive and thrive by improving their health, education
and economic opportunities and, in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving
assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
Save the Children works in more than 50 countries, including the United States, and serve
more than 41 million children and 25 million others working to save and improve
children’s lives, including parents, community members, local organizations and
government agencies.
In the West Bank, Save the Children’s programs comprise cash for work in the Hebron area,
a comprehensive technical and vocational education training program with 12 Palestinian
Vocation Training Institutes, and several youth leadership programs. The annual portfolio
in the West Bank is about $7.5 million. The total West Bank/Gaza portfolio is $14 million
for 2010.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Special Concerns
The blockade of Gaza by land, sea, and air makes work there particularly challenging. The
political situation is mostly calm, but it is volatile and unpredictable. In the West Bank,
Save the Children is effectively shut out of working in 60% of villages and towns because
they are in the territory known as “Area C”, a region 100% controlled by the Israeli
military.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
Field Contact
Jeff Hall, Advocacy Manager
PO Box 51399
Jerusalem, 91513
Tel: +972 2 628 1793
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
World Vision International (WVI) is a Christian humanitarian aid organization dedicated to
working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full
potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. WVI works in 93 countries around
the world.
WVI began working in the Palestine and Israel in 1975, serving the poor and marginalized,
especially children.
WVI initially assisted Palestinian groups supporting education and rehabilitation projects
with the goals to empower communities for independence from relief and structural aid
while building a better understanding of sustainable development.
In 1999, WVI began working in Area Development Programs (ADPs); a long-term (10 – 15
years) holistic program in a cluster of villages driven by needs of that specific community.
WVI partners with local organizations and cooperates with communities to improve
standards of living in all sectors.
Two thirds of our funding for FY10 comes from child sponsorship, and one third comes
from grants.
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InterAction Member Activity Report: West Bank/Gaza December 2009
WVI’s priorities are based upon the goals of each individual community. Accordingly, our
focus may shift from year to year and from community to community. However, most
projects provide improved health, education, child protection, and citizen empowerment to
children and their communities. In Gaza, WVI’s work has focused primarily on
humanitarian aid since the Gaza War in 2008-09.
WVI also uses its global presence to advocate for a just and comprehensive peace in the
Middle East. Specifically, WVI leverages its broad grassroots connectivity in communities
across the West Bank and Gaza to tell the story of the impact of the occupation.
Special Concerns
Given the ever-changing face of the occupation, the problems that we encounter
operationally change frequently. However, at present, WVI is deeply concerned about
changing immigration policies that seem to be designed to push the international
community out of Jerusalem altogether. Obviously, WVI is also deeply concerned about our
ability to send staff and materials into Gaza. WVI is also deeply concerned about US anti-
terror legislation that forces us to distort our programming away from our commitment to
serve the poor based on need alone. Finally, WVI is concerned about Israeli restrictions
and overly burdensome procedures related to our work in Area C.
Importantly, WVI just funded a survey that AIDA conducted in order to determine the most
important operational advocacy issues among the international NGO community in
Jerusalem. Survey results are available from AIDA.
44