Stories from the Field

Though Human Concern International works every day to improve the lives of orphans, one day is particularly crucial: Arab Orphan Day. Declared by the Arab league as a response to the many challenges faced by orphans, it falls on the first Friday of every April. It is designed to build awareness of the plight many of these children face, and to serve as a celebration of both them, and those who work tirelessly to improve their lives. On this day the goal is not to raise money, it is simply to give the children the chance to do what children do best: play, laugh, and make new friends. It is a day to remind orphans that they are not forgotten; they are valued and cherished. HCI, along with our local partners, celebrated this day in the Middle East.

Orphans throughout the Arab world are stigmatized, marginalized and severely disadvantaged. In a society where family is of the utmost importance, they are often isolated. As a result, they are at risk of exploitation and may be forced into dangerous and degrading work, including child labor, and sexual exploitation. Without financial and emotional support from a complete family environment, they must bear responsibilities well beyond what should be required of someone their age. They run the risk of becoming adults inexperienced and unfamiliar with the values and skills normal for participation in society in a productive, positive, and sustainable manner.

Human Concern International has gone to great lengths to reverse and prevent some of the disconcerting trends faced by orphans. By providing financial and community support, our program can help to prevent the isolation of children, and rebuild damaged self esteem. We seek to empower these children, and their care-givers, so that they may become self-sufficient, happy, productive members of society.

Gaza:

Orphans in Gaza face perhaps the most difficult conditions in the entire region, and their numbers are growing. During the 2008-2009 Israeli incursions, nearly 1,500 children were orphaned in the space of less than a month. They must face the violence, deprivation and uncertainty of a life under siege without the stabilizing support of a complete family. On Arab Orphan Day HCI and its local partner, the Aid and Hope Program for Cancer Patients (AHP), took a group of orphaned children out for a day of fun. There was face painting, a playground, and the chance to relax for children living under extreme conditions. They were also given a good, healthy meal which included chicken and meat. This is very important, as meat is now prohibitively expensive for the majority of people in Gaza, and as a result children face a whole host of nutritional problems including iron deficiency, and a lack of protein. The children loved their food, and the chance to play together. They were eager to write letters for their sponsors, and were very reluctant to leave when the event finally ended.

Egypt:

On Arab Orphan Day, HCI and its local partner, the Gozour Foundation, took a group of orphans between the ages of 5-16, along with their mothers, out for a day of carefree entertainment. They were brought to the “Fangoon” art school where they were given the chance to paint, make pottery and jewelry, and generally have fun. For both children and mothers it was a welcome relief from the stresses of their daily struggle to survive. Our organizers could not help but smile at the sight of the children having such fun together. A deteriorating economy and increased hunger means that these orphans face many challenges, but HCI is working to better the lives of as many as possible. The day also marked the commencement of HCI’s Child Sponsorship Program in Egypt, which will match donors with children in need, and give those children the financial support they require to have a fair chance at a productive life. The event raised awareness amongst local communities of the valuable work performed by HCI, and helped to strengthen links and support networks. We can be sure that the children will not forget their special day of fun, and as they finally had to go back to their homes they told us they were already looking forward to next year’s event.

Lebanon:

Arab Orphan Day in Lebanon was celebrated in Tripoli by HCI taking 25 orphans out for a day of fun in cooperation with our local partner, the CIWS. They were given the chance to meet, play, and eat outdoors in a healthy environment with other children who face the same challenges of living as orphans in Lebanon. The children come from families who live in poverty, and survive on donations to make ends meet. The stress and uncertainty they face every day takes a severe emotional toll, and deprives them of a child’s basic right to play and develop healthily. On Arab Orphan Day we sought to provide them with some relief, if only for a short period. They live in crowded, poor neighborhoods where parks and public spaces are non-existent. The chance for them to visit a pleasant, outdoor environment was something they do not normally get to experience, and they loved every minute of it. They started the day with a great meal at the local “Yalla Yalla” restaurant, which also had an indoor playground which the children enjoyed immensely. After, they were taken to banks of the local river where they could relax, play, and enjoy each other’s company. The sound of the children, their mothers, and the volunteers all singing together was a welcome change from the often bleak picture of life in the Mediterranean’s poorest city. The day gave these children what they needed most, a chance to escape from the difficulties of daily life, and the knowledge that they are indeed loved and appreciated.

Rights Based Approach:

In all of our activities, whether in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine or Sudan, HCI takes a rights based approach towards working with orphans. Our actions are intended to comply with, and realize, the articles set forth in the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This document, ratified by 192 nations, is a powerful tool in the global effort to enhance children’s right to education, health care and safety. Although it is the state’s responsibility to fulfill the obligations outlined in the convention, in practice limited resources means that this is not always possible. It is, therefore, incumbent on non state actors, like HCI, to fill the gaps. Children are vulnerable, and lack the political power to claim their rights themselves. The CRC is a powerful tool that places obligations which every nation must meet for the sake of their children. HCI, through our child sponsorship program and events like the Arab Orphan Day celebration, is working towards a day when all children can benefit from the rights of the CRC.

Future Challenges:

Unfortunately, the checkered, unstable political landscape of the Middle East has bred conflicts such as in Lebanon, Palestine and Sudan. The deaths of fathers and mothers in these events has created an altogether new tragedy, as the children they leave behind join the growing ranks of the region’s orphans. This means that HCI’s support will be needed ever more in the future. We must continue to work towards a day when orphan children will enjoy all of the same opportunities and joys as others, and rightfully take their place as full members of society. Though events like Arab Orphan Day are undeniably helpful, there is still much work to be done.

HCI presents the Child Sponsorship Program; the case of Majd from Gaza

HCI presents the Child Sponsorship Program; the case of Abdel Rahman and Bara’ Hashem from Lebanon

Understanding the culture and living conditions of the local communities we work with is part of HCI’s philosophy while serving these communities, especially at times such as Eid when great importance is placed on reviving and enjoying the traditional aspects of local culture. In addition, these traditions serve to strengthen community ties and embody important ideals such as generosity and helping the needy.

On the 10th of Dhi Al-Hijaa during the pilgrimage season, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid Al-Adha or the “Feast of Sacrifice”. As part of the celebration, an animal is sacrificed for the sake of Allah and to feed the needy and poor. It is a rewarding spiritual act for Muslims. Every year, Human Concern International (HCI) carries out the Adahi Meat Distribution Project in different underdeveloped Islamic countries to feed needy and vulnerable families.

In 2009, the project was implemented in Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan (with Iraqi refugees) where families of the poorest communities received meat packages directly from HCI’s team, or through the help of our local partners.

The goal of the Adahi Meat Distribution project was to enable poor and vulnerable families to cover their basic need for animal protein during this holy season. Inflation of the prices of meat usually occurs during this season, which reduces the purchasing capacity of many families, especially poor ones. Many families also cannot sacrifice their own livestock because they need their animals for the production of milk, cheese and other dairy products, and to work in the fields.

The project has three main objectives: relieving poor families who cannot afford the high price of meat during this season; forming links with local communities to address the needs of poor and vulnerable families, and complementing HCI’s overall relief and development initiatives in the region. HCI’s selection criteria directed distributions to low-income, large, and single-parent families, particularly if the single parent was a woman or person with special needs.

In Gaza, HCI’s team made up of tens of volunteers went door to door and personally delivered the parcels containing meat portions. They listened to and made note of each family’s problems so that this information could be used for the next needs assessment and distribution project. Hundreds of families benefited from the distributed portions. The distribution was implemented in Sheikh Rdwan in Gaza city, Ezbat Abdrabo in Jebalia, Al Zaytoon neighberhoods, and Shajaeya in Al Shatae refugee Camp.

Neighborhood committees and the local volunteers helped in the distributions. The Shahada family, one of the families benefiting from the Adahi packages told the volunteers that they literally hadn’t tasted meat in months, as did another family from Ezbit Abd Rabo, who were extremely thankful for the meat they received, without which their Eid would have been miserable.

In the West Bank, HCI’s team organized the distribution of hundreds of meat packages to low income families with special needs persons in the Central District of the West Bank.

Female-headed households, and families where the breadwinner is disabled, were selected as front-end beneficiaries. Local women’s groups and village councils assisted in the identification of beneficiaries. HCI’s local partner, the Vocational Training Workshops for Girls NGO in Palestine contributed additional parcels that were distributed to additional families. The slaughtering took place at the premises of the NGO, as did the distributions. Families arrived early morning of the first day of the Eid to get their Adahi. The project provided direct support to the families surrounded by the West Bank Wall or by Israeli settlements. Local newspapers reported on the distributions.

In Sudan, HCI along with local partners, organized and implemented this year’s Adahi Distributions in many refugee settlements in the south, north and west of the capital. The Adahi Project targeted all those who reside in these communities, focusing on single mothers and orphans. Targeted beneficiaries where identified in association with local partners. The slaughtering and distributions were done according to the Islamic traditions. Every family received one package. The project targeted the poorest families, especially widows, orphans and families with no income. HCI’s team made a point to be active in communities that contain refugees from the Darfur region and from southern Sudan.

In Egypt, HCI’s team distributed meat packages to the poorest households in the marginalized new desert settlements of Kalabsha El-Jedida, Bashayer el-Kheir, New Tomas and ‘Afia village located west of Lake Nasser.

In order to guarantee a proper exposure to the HCI, banners, stickers and bags with the HCI logo where printed to be used on the day of distribution, so that people from the villages would recognize that the event was an HCI initiative. HCI’s local partner, the Center for Development Services, contributed additional parcels bearing the logos of HCI and its partners that were distributed to additional families.

In Jordan, in the Jabal Al Qusour district, one of the poorest areas of the capital Amman and home to thousands of Iraqi refugees, HCI’s team distributed food packages to marginalized and mostly widow headed Iraqi refugee families despite the continuing challenge of reaching needy Iraqis who are often unable to seek out official forms of aid because of economic constraints or disabilities.

Family Development Association, a women-headed grassroots organization, assisted in reaching out to Iraqis most in need based on the preset selection criteria. HCI’s long term local partner, New Development assisted in the screening and selection of final beneficiaries, as well as in the procurement of food items in close consultation with HCI’s team. HCI’s local partners contributed additional packages bearing the logos of HCI and its partners to be distributed to additional families. Local newspapers reported on the distributions. These families are live mostly on donations and humanitarian aid with no financial income whatsoever. The Adahi distribution made it possible for them to fully celebrate the holy days. One of the families which received a meat portion hadn’t included meat in their very humble meals since the last Ramadan Eid.

In Lebanon, hundreds of needy single mother headed families benefited from this year’s meat distributions during the Eid Al-Adha in Tripoli, Lebanon. Some of the distributions were conducted at the premises of HCI’s partner in Tripoli, the CIWS.

HCI’s team went door to door in the poorest neighborhoods of the city of Tripoli and personally delivered the meat portions to the remaining beneficiaries. HCI’s team supervised and monitored the entire process from the procurement of the supplies to the packing, as well as the organization of distributions and the selection criteria for beneficiaries in order to ensure the highest and best efficiency.Beneficiaries have commented positively on the distributions, and have sent greetings and best wishes to HCI, and to the people who made their Eid possible.

The Adahi project is designed to deliver immediate relief to the poorest families in 5 Arab countries (Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt). It is important to continue implementing this seasonal project every year, as poor families can’t afford meat portions in their diet due to its high costs. The Adahi project promotes sharing and caring values especially in times of need, as well as in times of feasts. The project promotes the good will of HCI and our commitment to working and alleviating poverty in the Arab region. It enhances HCI’s relations with local partners who implement these projects, and the communities in which we work with.

The Adahi project as an immediate relief project supports other development projects that HCI is implementing in the region by exhibiting HCI commitment to poor communities need. It demonstrates the quick response and delivery of the HCI’s projects while working towards longer and sustainable outcomes through our other specialized projects.

Every Palestinian woman and family have a story to tell, many of these stories reflect the profound sadness of Gaza’s own story; stories about the healing of wounds, about deprivation, about women struggling to support families and most of all about keeping hope alive. HCI is acutely aware of this nations suffering and follows the situation vigilantly, taking any and every opportunity to intervene despite the countless obstacles and limitations.

Our interventions may be large scale such as rehabilitating war damaged schools or small scale such as honoring the tradition of a community which we serve. This year, in the Holy month of Ramadan, in the aftermath of a devastating war, there was no community in greater need of support and kindness then that of Gaza’s destitute. When HCI decided to distribute food packages to the needy, the war-affected people of Gaza did not have to stand in long queues. HCI’s team made up of tens of volunteers went door to door and personally delivered the much needed food items and listened to and made note of each family’s problems.

Behind Jamila’s Door

Jamila Al Shaikh Khalil’s door was one of the doors we knocked on. She is seventy years old; she has been a widow for forty years now. When her husband passed away, she was left to raise three children singlehandedly. Her family was shattered once more when her son died in an accident, after which her daughter lost the ability to speak and remained in a dazed and catatonic state. Jamila’s two older sisters also live with her; they are frail, and unable to walk. They need monthly medical attention and a lot of care.

After many words of gratitude, Jamila told us that there are many marginalized women like her in Gaza, with nothing to fight hardship and disease with but prayer and patience. She told us that the food package we have given her will help ease the incredible economic burden on her family for the next coming weeks; she tells us that we have given her hope, and she asks God to bless HCI for having compassion and helping the needy.

Behind Maher’s Door

Maher Aloush and his family are one of HCI’s beneficiaries residing in the Shati’ Camp. He and his seven family members currently live in a small rundown 2-bedroom house. His five children suffer from several debilitating illnesses that require continuous medical support, and his youngest six-month old daughter suffers from malnutrition. It is worth noting that Maher Aloush also suffers from heart problems aggravated by his stressful living conditions.

The Shati’ (literally meaning Shore) Camp where the Aloush family live is considered to be one of the poorest camps in the Gaza Strip. As you walk through the alleys of the camp you notice that the air grows heavier and damp, and your lungs fill up with the stench of polluted sea water and raw sewage.

The camp has not only been gravely affected by the imposed blockade but the residents have been collectively living in extreme poverty for years since fishing, the main source for income generation, was officially banned and declared illegal by the Israeli Authorities. Since then, unemployment rates have soared to unprecedented levels, only to be exacerbated by the recent siege.

General nutrition has also been gravely undermined as a result of the fishing ban. In the past, poor families unable to afford meat and chicken would fish. Today, they are denied the basic privilege of eating well. Environment and health hazards have also become an increasing concern in the camp. Even before the imposed blockade, supplies necessary to equip and maintain the solid waste station have been denied by the authorities putting the residents’ health in serious risk and causing substantial damage to the environment.

Considering the gravity of the situation, HCI identified the Shati’ Camp as a high priority area within Gaza, with a large number of family beneficiaries partaking in most of HCI’s initiatives.

In an attempt to contribute to the livelihood and wellbeing of this family, HCI has ensured the involvement of Maher Aloush and his family in as many initiatives as possible. The family for example, was one of the many recipients of the Ramadan distributions, receiving a parcel containing several food and non-food items. Also, Maher was offered temporary employment during the Kindergarten Rehabilitation program which helped provisionally relieve the family of its dire financial situation.

HCI continues to support the Aloush family, the residents of the Shati’ Camp and the Gaza Strip and hopes to reach out to thousands more in need. HCI is committed to the struggle of keeping hope alive in the hearts and minds of every Gazan.

For the Muslim world, the month of Ramadan is traditionally a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, self control, and fasting from sunrise to sunset. It is also a particularly joyous time when relatives and friends invite each other over to gather around a table and break the fast together-Iftar-and above all a time of giving and feeling for the poor. The tradition of fasting is one that makes people all over the world feel with those who are hungry, with those who are destitute. In Ramadan, HCI takes the opportunity to honor these valued traditions while continuing to extend help to the poor and needy in the communities they serve; in the Arab world alone it is estimated that 65 million people live below the poverty line and about 11 million people suffer from malnutrition with 12.7 percent of children under the age of five being underweight. HCI is painfully aware of these statistics and has been dedicatedly engaged in battling poverty, disaster and despair here for over 20 years.

This Ramadan, like many Ramadans before, in villages, towns and cities all over The Arab world, HCI has reached out to many disadvantaged communities in the true Ramadan spirit; hundreds of traditional healthy Ramadan meals have been served to those the most in need of help and support. In addition, specially designed care packages that contain food items such as rice, dried beans, sugar and dried fruit that the families can make use of throughout Ramadan have been distributed by HCI to help ease the economic burden on these families while being as nutritionally beneficial as possible. HCI’s selection criteria direct food allocation to low-income, large, and single-parent families, particularly if the single parent is a woman or person with special needs.

GAZA STRIP

In Gaza City, HCI organized an Iftar for war affected farmers and their families who have been supported by HCI to establish their own farming businesses. One hundred and fifty people came together to share the success of what HCI introduced into their lives, out of destruction these people have managed to reestablish their livelihoods, it is impressive; It has been nine months since the last Israeli Operation here and 3 years into a stifling siege, life for Gazans is characterized by chronic unemployment, infrequent access to power and water, health hazards stemming from inadequate sewage system, and sub-standard housing with thousands living in tents or the rubble of their former homes. When it was time for the distribution of food packages to the needy, the war affected people of Gaza did not have to stand in long queues this year, HCI’s team made up of tens of volunteers went door to door and personally delivered the much needed food items and listened to and made note of each family’s problems.

THE WEST BANK

Life has not improved for many of the Palestinians living in the West Bank since the construction of the separation wall that has severed communities, people’s access to services, livelihoods and religious and cultural amenities. In keeping with its commitment to help where it is needed, HCI’s presence was also felt in the West Bank this Ramadan; in the Central District of the West Bank we organized food package distributions for low income families with persons having special needs.

SUDAN

In the Salama settlement, south of the capital Khartoum there are about eleven thousand internally displaced people who have fled the violence in the south and west of their country. Here they face chronic poverty, high unemployment, and many health problems. Iftars were organized for them here as well as in the north and west of Khartoum in similar settlements. The distribution of hundreds of much needed “goodwill” or “fasting” food packages as they are called in Sudan were implemented all over the capital as well.

Since it is also close to the time when school fees must be paid and school supplies must be purchased, to ease the economic burden on these mostly single mother headed households, and inspired by our firm belief in education as a form of empowerment, we have also prepared back to school items to be distributed to several community schools around the capital. Our Iftars and packages may not seem enough compared to what these communities require, but they address an immediate and pressing need, hopefully with more funding in the future we will be able to do more, for now at least these settlers know that they have not been forgotten.

EGYPT

Kalabsha El-Jedida, Bashayer el-Kheir, New Tomas and ‘Afia village are new Egyptian settlements west of Lake Nasser; they were conceived as part of the government’s plan to resettle one million people around Lake Nasser by 2017 to green the desert. Several of these small agricultural communities have already sprouted up in this desolate land, but the lack of basic amenities has so far been a hindering factor in this project realizing its true potential. Yet even in the face of enduring hardship, these vulnerable and marginalized settlers from all over the country are determined to make a future for themselves and for their families. This year, HCI in collaboration with local partners made sure that 400 of the poorest households in these settlements took home a food package that would be a source nourishment and economic relief.

In the two days of distribution, work was continuous around the clock to ensure the timely delivery of the food parcels. The New Tomas and ‘Afia village are quite far; approximately 270 km south of the nearest city, Aswan. Making this journey in the morning with the scorching heat was quite challenging for the team but after Iftar as we drank cold water and ate dates, allowing their sweetness to awaken our blood sugar and digestion, we felt inspired to see firsthand the courage and will of these settlers determinedly building a new life for themselves under difficult conditions, and we felt happy to have played a small role in their narrative which will undoubtedly prove to be a success story.

LEBANON

In Lebanon, one hundred and fifty physically handicapped individuals and their families from all over the country participated in an Iftar organized by HCI in partnership with the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union. In the hopes of making their Iftar a memorable one, a carefully selected wheelchair friendly venue was selected for the event and a Hakawati, a traditional storyteller, was at hand to volunteer and entertain these families with inspirational tales; the human connection between the storyteller and the audience creates a sort of friendship, and thus the stories told become more believable and accepted. This makes the message or the advice hidden within the story more influential to their lives.

In the northern city of Tripoli, one of the poorest cities on the Mediterranean coast with an alarmingly high number of single mother headed homes as a result of war and conflict, HCI organized a series of Iftars and distributions; food packets were distributed to needy families in the north and three hundred orphans and their families were invited by HCI to break their fast together over a period of three days. We are pleased to report that the normally quiet Ramadan evenings in Tripoli were filled with laughter and the sounds that children generally make when they are having fun. Furthermore, HCI organized an Iftar in the high and remote village of Jabal Akroum for the needy local families.

IRAQI REFUGEES

It is estimated that Jordan hosts over 500,000 Iraqi refugees, the majority of which are without residency permits and unable to work legally, they are often fearful of seeking out official forms of aid. They largely confine themselves to their homes because of economic constraints, disabilities and concerns about their legal status. Access to educational and health services remain limited. Every day is a struggle to hold their families together with very little means. And even though their future is uncertain and their current situation is grim, going back home is out of the question; home is where they saw the destruction of their communities and the constant threat of violence, torture and extortion. Growing numbers are living at or below the poverty line. The resources of many families have dwindled to almost nothing and this creates concern about the simplest things, like how they will feed their children each night.

This year, HCI’s team in Amman distributed hundreds of food packages to mostly widow headed Iraqi families. Not only did these families receive temporary relief to their economic burden but their dignity remained intact, and they felt cared for.

At a time when Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire, and former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney are detained for attempting to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza, at a time when toys, food and medical supplies are lingering elusively at the gates of the city, and the imposed blockade continues to exacerbate millions of lives, the residents of Gaza continue to live their daily tragedy in silence, in face of a world that has grown weary and apathetic to their cause.

The malaise following the December war continues to haunt millions of people, who have become desperately poverty-stricken. Devastated homes and neighbourhoods have become typical scenery, scarcity of food common, unemployment the norm, and increased rates of disease an inevitably which even if curable, lacks the necessary medical supplies and treatment.

Gaza has become synonymous with wars, destruction, and poverty. No wonder only a few are aware of the rich history and culture buried beneath decades and centuries of rubble so eloquently detailed in “Life at the Crossroads: A History of Gaza” by Gerald Butt recently re-published in 2009.

It has not been an easy task for HCI to reach out to the residents of Gaza. HCI’s resources and effort this year have been dedicated to this challenging task. The arduous journey however, has been rewarding and possible due to the perseverance of our team and supporting partners both in Gaza and the West Bank. Most recently a developmental initiative has been launched in support of families suffering from the now ubiquitous food-shortage and unemployment.

OFFERING CAPABILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES

After extensive research and inquiry, and in spirit of HCI’s aim to offer sustainable developmental solutions, poultry keeping presented a feasible and manageable project, one that also plays an important socio-cultural role in Gaza. Poultry keeping makes use of family labour, mainly women, who are major beneficiaries.

The Agricultural Support for Smallholder Farmers and Food-Insecure Households initiative is currently assisting families in setting up small poultry-keeping businesses. Areas and direct beneficiaries have been screened and selected by HCI and its local partners, the Aid and Hope Centre for the Care of Cancer Patients and the Vocational Rehabilitation Workshops Society for Girls NGO. The designate areas comprising most of Gaza, share the same characteristics: elevated poverty, gravely affected by the war, high unemployment rate especially among the women population and finally suitable environmental and physical conditions for backyard production.

Each of the beneficiary families is provided with a flock consisting of approximately 100 birds. These flocks are managed by the individual farm families in order to secure food, income, and provide a form of employment mainly for women. Each farm family is provided with the necessary equipment, livestock and technical assistance required to implement the project. In addition, a local team of semi-volunteers consisting of veterinarians and agricultural engineers has been formed to assist in the distribution of livestock, equipments, technical assistance and follow up to ensure the success and sustainability of the individual businesses.

For many of these families, the poultry business is the sole means of livelihood, contributing to the overall well-being of these food-insecure households.

The small business also presents one of few opportunities for low-income, food-deficient families to save and invest, hence securing them from many unforeseeable risks. In addition to being a major income-generating activity (the sales of birds and eggs), the occasional consumption of either meat or eggs provides a valuable source of protein necessary for a healthy and nutritious diet which is generally lacking.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERTISE: THE TRAINING

Representatives from each family were invited to attend the training workshop for the Agricultural Support for Smallholder Farmers and Food-Insecure Households initiative that took place in Gaza. The training was a prerequisite for running the poultry business.

The purpose of the workshop was to familiarize the prospective business owners with the technical, medical, and managerial skills necessary to run and sustain a poultry-keeping business. The training underlined the importance of development as an alternative to aid. In addition, it was intended to help the trainees, particularly women, acquire the knowledge and expertise needed in setting up small businesses.

IN DEPTH: THE LIVES OF THREE GAZAN FAMILIES

“Living below the poverty line”, is a phrase no longer representative of the reality it once aimed to depict. It is insufficient, impersonal and ambiguous–a statement that generates nothing more than statistical controversy nowadays. Unfortunately the reality itself remains–uncontroversial and unaltered. Hunger and unemployment continue to govern the lives of millions in Gaza.

The story of three families in particular comes to us as a reminder of the true meaning of war and sanctions, of their repercussions, suffered by none other than innocent children and families who alone bear the brunt of conflict, destruction, poverty, hunger, and disease.

HOPE IN DESPAIR: THE MOBAEED FAMILY

Poverty is not merely a state of deprivation. It is a process that compels those implicated to redefine their priorities. In such cases of extreme poverty, nourishment and shelter take precedent while health and general well-being very rarely are considered. Sometimes however, the perpetual stress of survival takes its toll, exacerbated only by negligence and lack of awareness.

Last March, 37 year-old Nidhal Al-Mobaeed, mother to seven children, stumbled upon representatives from the Aid and Hope Centre for the Care of Cancer patients at the Women Affairs Centre bazzar in Gaza during their awareness campaign for the early detection of breast cancer sponsored by Human Concern International.

That day she was duly briefed about the mammograms test which is among the best early detection methods for breast cancer among women. Few days passed before Nidhal decided to go for her free examination. She and her husband recall that day with much sorrow, the day when Nidhal was informed she is suffering from a malignant form of breast cancer, one that warrants surgery and the complete removal of her breast.

In addition to her serious medical condition which hinders her from working, her husband Saleem suffers from cartilage damages in six of his spinal vertebrates deeming him also unfit to work. As a result, the family was left with very little or no income, equally overwhelmed by the urgency of Nidhal’s medical condition.

As such, the Centre proceeded to make all necessary arrangements in preparation for the surgery and designated doctors to follow up her condition. Coordinators from the Centre were also asked to visit Nidhal frequently to offer moral and psychological support. Upon their last visit, the coordinators informed the family of their selection to the poultry keeping program.

The news brightened up an otherwise bleak reality, one that this family was made to endure as a result of disease, hunger, devastating wars, and extreme poverty. They were relieved to know that all technical and medical assistance pertaining to the poultry keeping business will be entirely taken care of for the first six months to allow for the business to flourish. Their two youngest daughters, 7 and 11 year-old Shrooq and Amal, were certainly delighted at the thought of playing with the birds and caring for them.

According to Saleem, the business will set out to be a source of nutrition for the family. The unconsumed surplus, such as eggs, will be sold to secure a steady flow of income. This in turn will allow the family to purchase lacking necessities, contribute towards Nidhal’s medical treatment, and restore their war-damaged home.

The story of the Mobaeed family might be laden with sorrow and hardships but it also paints a bittersweet picture of hope and resilience amidst poverty, war and disease.

INSPIRED BY LIFE, THE GOOD AND THE BAD: THE AL-SAMEERE FAMILY

It is difficult to imagine how life can possibly be a source of inspiration for those who are besieged by so much misery–when poverty is aggravated by disease, when disease is exacerbated by hunger, and hunger by devastating wars. This is the story of Fayaad Al-Sameere, a man who despite life’s every attempt at breaking him, remains high-spirited, hopeful, and determined, undeterred by poverty, hunger, or disease.

Fayaad lives in his modest home in the outskirts of Gaza, along the border, with his wife, six children and one grandchild. Fayaad was introduced to the members of our team when he came in one day declaring that he is “not here to beg or ask for money”. Fayaad came in that day asking that his elder son, Hussein, be treated for a malignant case of cancer as the family have lost all source of income and were unable to proceed with treatment.

Twenty-year old Hussein was forced to discontinue his education due to his illness where he suffered from untreated tumours in the neck. Fayaad, unable to help his son due to his dire financial situation, turned to the Centre for support, and our team duly obliged.

It is important to note that Fayaad, this vigorous 40-year old man, full of life and hope is himself a victim of cancer. His tumours extend from the neck to his chest, and he has undergone seven different surgeries. Despite his passion and love for life, though, Fayaad has grown weary, especially after he was banned from travelling to complete treatment. The reason is the overwhelmingly high expenses that according to the authorities suffice to treat fifty patients. As such, Fayaad’s treatment came to a sudden halt leaving him with one wish, to live in peace.

Peace however, was not granted to the Al-Sameere family. A plot of agricultural land along the borders of Gaza, once a source of income for the family, is now forbidden territory. Every morning through a pair of binoculars, Fayaad gazes at his land on the horizon. Each day he hopes that they would return to harvest the land and restore the damage caused by the war, whose bulldozers destroyed decade-old Almond trees, a war that left numerous landowners and their families deprived and landless.

Their home was not made an exception. During the December war, the family had to flee their house in the outskirts of Gaza in search of a safer place in the centre of the city. Despite their already overwhelming expenses they had no choice but to pay rent for their safe haven. Incessant bombing did not spare their house, and it too suffered severe physical damages.

It is clear why Fayaad’s family were most suitable for the poultry keeping project. They have suffered the malaise of war, poverty, hunger and disease all together, and though they do receive aid on a quarterly basis, it is insufficient.

Upon our team’s visit to Fayaad’s home, they noticed that a small piece of land adjacent to the house was already cleared out in anticipation of the flock of birds. In Fayaad’s words, the business represents a lifeline for the family and an opportunity to once again lead a self-sufficient and dignified life.

This source of income will go towards Hussein’s treatment, food, clothes, an oven and other necessary missing furniture. In addition he aspires to expand the business in the near future to include cattle which would generate more income for the family.

Fayaad’s steadfastness and optimistic outlook, is not merely admirable but inspirational. When everything else seems to fall apart, his love and passion for life remains undisputed.

A DOOR-LESS HOME: THE QUEEDER FAMILY

As the title suggests this is the story of a family too poor to even afford a door to conceal their modest home. There lives Mariam Queeder 70-years of age, a widow and mother to three children and seven step children most of them suffering from mental disorders, a condition that has become all too common in Gaza. Mariam’s daily strife for food and income is heart-wrenching, mainly relying on the kindness of a few charitable individuals.

Maysoon, the youngest and only child with a high school diploma, bears the brunt of this everyday battle. The responsibilities are cumbersome and the pressure of being the only high school graduate means that she is possibly the only family member with a slightly better chance of employment. Her siblings see in her a leader, indeed she is the family’s sole caretaker.

Unfortunately, her daily struggle to secure some form of sustenance for her siblings is undermined by the lack of income, and she like the rest of her family and indeed the majority of people in Gaza, is left without any form of employment. In her words, sleep is impossible when the mind is constantly buzzing with images of her hungry mother and siblings. One thing is for sure, hunger in Gaza is a pandemic spreading wilder than forest fire.

Maysoon was elated to hear the news about the poultry keeping business yet similarly perplexed, debating where to keep the birds and instantly worrying about feeding them. She was reassured that all technical and medical assistance will be at their disposal in addition to the chicken feed which will be provided for six consecutive months at the beginning of the project.

The poultry business instilled a sense of rejuvenated hope for the Queeder family, who now have the opportunity to be self-sufficient and finally generate the much needed income that will safeguard them from hunger and disease and ensure their overall-wellbeing.

This source of income will contribute towards the family’s medical expenses, food, and clothing and allow them to purchase basic commodities they were previously deprived from.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Behind images of war and poverty rests a reality unfathomable only by immediate experience. Even flamboyant words and images become superfluous at times, desensitizing many, if not most outside observers. With the end of each article and news briefing, most will return to the comfort of their mundane life, perhaps with a momentary sigh of relief, perhaps in an ephemeral state of despair. Eventually the majority of us tend to forget almost instantaneously.

Human Concern International’s firm belief that no innocent child, woman, or man should be the forgotten victims of such extreme poverty and devastation motivates us to pursue the most challenging yet most rewarding of tasks. HCI’s involvement in Gaza might not reach out to the whole of Gaza, but it aims to offer sustainable developmental solutions to as many families in need as is possible. We aspire to continue and expand our initiatives in hope that the good that is reaped will multiply and tip over the injustice of this status-quo.

“My name is Abeer.

I snuck into the pocket space under the stairs and settled on a worn rubber tire. I took into myself a rusty-bladed knife in a box of wood shavings, and watched the crystal bubbles in clear olive-oil jugs, and mourned.

My fuzz-head torn-shorts brother sat cross-legged on the ground beside me, and he held my hand in his so brown, scab-kneed little urchin thinking thoughts deep by the rusty-handled hoes. We sat, us two, drifting between time and place, the air so still and dry it burned our skins- but did not burn the hurt engraved underneath-sitting amidst ruins of an ancient town, already forgetful of the fairy foot-falls of elfin children, the glorious frivolity in their pearly-toothed grins.

I inched close wondering- it was the first reverberating life motion, memories in this garden-climbing a shiny-leafed fig tree- Tripoli, Lebanon, and the scorching abyss of the dark planting hole, seeds dropped down deep, nothing shaded, only burnt-black bright migraine-sun-and brown-skinned children sitting hollow-eyed each on a ladder rung propped up against a pomegranate tree, dread in small hands gripping splintery wood, watching the dust settle amidst the rubble of a now-sky-roofed house.

My father is dead. My home, it is ruined, racked by the explosion that took so much away from us. Our family is destitute, our basic needs for food, clothing, shelter- they are all unmet. It is with despair we look to the future. We are deprived of the paternal care that gives us good homes and a chance at a decent education. We are deprived of the capable love that can erase the dread we face our future with, bring back the frivolity in our smiles and set our lives moving again in a direction where we will not have to watch the dust settle over our ruin.

But there is a beacon of hope. My little brother, Ahmed, only 5 years old, has been sponsored by HCI for two years now. It is the only source of income for my family now.”

(more…)

In post-war Gaza, one can easily observe the aftermath: displacement and homelessness are prevalent; poverty is visible; unemployment is raging; malnutrition among children is rampant; trauma and grief are widespread; and lost livelihoods are common. For many families, everything they had worked for or achieved all their life has been destroyed.

If such a reality is difficult for adults to bear, one can only wonder about the children unfortunate enough to experience and survive what is considered to be one of the most devastating wars the region has witnessed. The children of Gaza have witnessed scenes of death, bloodshed, demolitions, and experienced the loss of family members amidst an environment of fear and confusion. Children are left with a considerable sense of insecurity, especially when their parents become helpless in easing their fears and concerns. Adding to that, children’s basic needs are not met; many of them don’t have the clothes to wear to fight the cold winters, no appropriate shoes, no hygiene supplies and no toys. This negligence is not purposely created. It is as simple as this: families in Gaza cannot afford to eat since 80% of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid agencies.

Bringing hope to Pre-school Children in Gaza is an initiative recently launched by HCI that targets children in Gaza and respond to their various needs. The project targets children attending local community-run Kindergartens and provide them with tailored relief assistance: Winter clothes and shoes tailored to each child were provided for individually selected pre-school children through comprehensive needs assessments. Food items for children such as cake, milk, biscuits, cheese and yogurt were also distributed to children in need. School stationary such as books and pencils, and hygiene items such as tooth brush, tooth paste, washing soap and kids shampoo were also distributed to war-affected children. In addition, children were allowed to express their feelings, whether it was trauma, grief, fear or insecurity, through drawing, games and entertainment activities aimed at reducing the psychological impact of the war on these children.

These activities are complemented with a rehabilitation program targeting kindergartens damaged during the war by implementing a comprehensive physical rehabilitation which would allow pre-school children to continue their education and provide them with the space to play and learn away from the destruction of wars and poverty. The Kindergartens will also be provided with much needed educational materials and toys, as well as playgrounds.

Through a comprehensive needs assessment and extensive outreach activities each child was individually selected to benefit from the project. 160 children and their families benefited from this month’s activities targeting the children attending the Beit-Hanon community Kindergarten and Beit-Jablia refugee camp community Kindergarten.

The project is implemented in partnership with HCI’s local partner in Gaza, The Aid and Hope Centre for the Care of Cancer Patients and their Families and in coordination with the Palestinian NGO, the Vocational Rehabilitation Workshops Society for Girls (VRWSG) as well as the Gaza-based NGO, the Palestinian Early Childhood Education. Ten local volunteers helped make this project possible.

Tales from the Children

While walking through the crowds at Biet Hanon Kindergarten, Modelalah’s sad eyes captured us. She is 5 years old and lives with her family of 5 members. Her brother was injured during the war and lost one of his legs. Her father is currently unemployed. Modelalah almost cried when we talked to her, noticing that she had already opened her coloring pencils set she received. We asked her about what does she want to draw. “I want to draw a boy and a rose”, she responded. She promised that she will share her chocolate with the rest of her brothers and sisters, and she will save some for her brother who is being treated away.

We spotted Said hiding from the camera. We approached him and asked him why and if he was afraid from the camera or the team. “I am okay but I am feeling embarrassed because of my worn-to-pieces shoes. We don’t have money to buy new one”, Said responded. We explained to Said that HCI sent him new shoes and jacket and other nice new things. “Are you sure!”, Said wondered. We helped him sit on the table and showed him the new supplies provided by HCI. “Why HCI send us gifts?” Said asked us. “HCI is sending you this supplies because you are very sweet boy and very clever at the school,” we responded. Said wished that god bless HCI. He didn’t wear new clothes for a year now. He told us he can’t buy chocolate or deserts or anything. He asked us to thank HCI and to let them know that he loves all of them.

The weather was very cold outside, yet the child Wisam Sadat was only wearing a light sweater and a sandal footwear. Wisam spent the entire cold winter wearing summer clothe. When team member Lubna Najar offered to help him wear the new shoes and winter jacket provided by HCI and the other items, he got so excited and couldn’t believe it. Wisam draw house, girl and pretty flowers. With his new shoes Wisam was walking and jumping all over the place. Before we left he told us: I LOVE YOU ALL.

Bahaa is 5 years old from a family that consist of 14 members. His father used to work as a shoe tailor before he lost his job as result to the war. Bahaa was very shy when we approached him. We asked him why he is shy. “I am afraid”, Bahaa responded. Bahaa was occupied with the new shoes he received, “I can play football now. My old shoes are not for playing football, and if I lose them my dad can’t get me a new one. My dad can’t get me chocolate too,” he concluded.

5-year old Lila lost most of her family during the conflict. “I promise to share the chocolate and the biscuits with my brothers and sisters, and I will tell them how HCI made us happy in the kindergarten,” Lila commented after receiving the items provided by HCI. “I will draw flowers and butterflies. I will clean my teeth every night. I will have nice warm shower with my shampoo. Thank you so much for making me and making my friends in the kindergarten happy and we will never forget HCI and we hope they will never forget us”. Leila is sweet girt with doll-like face. She has suffered so many losses, yet she still wants to play and draw. She also made a new friend (Bahaa) on the distribution day.

Mohanad lives with his 8-member family with no source of income. Mohanad wants to be a pilot, yet the planes he wants to fly are not “like the Israeli ones” he said. Mohanad has no other pair of pants to wear. He jumped up and down the room when he received a new pair of pants from HCI. “Mohanad is behaving like a child again,” his mother, Oum Ahed, commented.

Shahed lives with her family of 9 members in Jabalia refugee camp. Her father suffers from a chronic injury that made him mentally challenged, and her brother lost his leg during the war. As Shahed bent down and started drawing happily, her mother Om Ahmed approached us to thank HCI for the generous donation. “I wish I could have offered my daughter want she needs, but there is nothing I can do. We can’t afford anything. My husband can’t work and now my older son is injured. I really don’t know how to thank you enough,” Om Ahmed commented. Shahed’s teacher told us that almost all of Shahed’s neighbors were killed during the conflict. She often tells stories about the war and a story about wolves who comes to hurt her family while they are asleep.

HCI launched this week the Kindergarten Rehabilitation Program in Gaza and is now working towards reconstructing the physical damages incurred on the Al-Majed School and Kindergarten located in the Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza City.

The Al-Majed school and Kindergarten was established in 1972 under the name Hashim’s Gaza, and renamed the “Two Sisters” Kindergarten in 1992. The Kindergarten was established as a refuge for orphans and children whose families were too poor to provide them with an education and other basic needs.

In an effort to grant these children their childhood, the Kindergarten worked very hard to provide not only education and recreational activities for these children but also provided them with basic necessities that they were otherwise deprived of. Uniforms and stationary were provided, including daily lunch meals.

As a result of its ongoing success the Kindergarten expanded, and the Al-Majed school was established in 2007. A new two-floor building, each floor equipped with five classrooms and bathrooms hosted the new school. In addition, a large playground area and a garden were built for the children’s entertainment and recreational activities.

Prior to the war on Gaza in 2008, 70 children were enrolled in the Kindergarten that included KG0-KG2 and another 15 children were attending the new school.

This success however, was short-lived since both the newly-founded school and the decades-old Kindergarten incurred serious damages as a result of the bombings that targeted the adjacent Borno Mosque. The twenty-two days of conflict which left over 1,300 Palestinians dead, over 5,300 injured, caused extensive damage to the kindergarten. The kindergarten suffering from severe physical damages and financial loss, has not only been unable to resume its normal course of work, but has also lost many of its enrolled children as a result.

As such, HCI with the cooperation of the Palestine-established Vocational Rehabilitation Workshops Society for Girls (VRWSG) NGO — the founder of the kindergarten — decided to assist in reviving the school by contributing towards its physical rehabilitation. In consultation with the VRWSG, a Gaza-based Engineering and Consultations company was designated with the task of assessing the damages incurred. As the recipients of this fund, the Palestine-based VRWSG will be responsible for the rehabilitation of the Al-Majed School and Kindergarten.

The Al-Majed School and Kindergarten is one of many others that will be revived by HCI as part of the Kindergarten Rehabilitation Program. Through this program, HCI wishes to physically rehabilitate these Kindergartens to allow children to continue their education providing them with the space to play and learn away from the destruction of wars and poverty.

HCI also hopes to assist in providing temporary employment/aid-for-work opportunities for families without a breadwinner to participate in the rehabilitation of those kindergartens in hope that this program can involve and benefit as many people in need as possible.

On the 8th of March 2009, HCI worked cooperatively with its Gaza-based partner, the Aid & Hope Center for the Care of Cancer Patients, to celebrate the International Woman’s Day by promoting cancer early detection, particularly mammograms test which is among the best early detection methods for breast cancer among women. Breast cancer if detected early, the five-year survival rate exceeds 96%.

In Gaza, the awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is limited for women. Latest estimates show that less than 40% of breast cancer cases are detected early in Gaza - one of the lowest rates in the world. By promoting mammography test, Gaza women will have an opportunity to detect breast cancer when it is small, and when treatment options are available and a cure is more likely.

Mammography is a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. Mammography play a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. Current guidelines from the international health bodies recommend screening mammography every one or two years for women, beginning at age 40, since the older a woman is, the greater her chance of developing breast cancer. Research has shown that annual mammograms lead to early detection of breast cancers, when they are most curable and breast-conservation therapies are available. When cancers are small, the woman has more treatment options and a cure is more likely.

The awareness campaign took place during the three-day fair organized by the Women Affairs Center, Gaza Chapter, under the slogan of “Despite the death and destruction, long-live the eighth of March: Exhibition of goods made by Gaza women.”

Thirty five women NGOs participated in this year’s exhibition, where 12 thousands women are expected to attend. NGOs are exhibiting their goods and products made by Gaza women.

Assisted by women volunteers from the Aid & Hope Center for the Care of Cancer Patients (AHCCCP), 900 women from Gaza filled in a questionnaire about breast cancer and they were given pink ribbons symbolizing the fight against breast cancer, donated by HCI. The team intends to complete 10,000 questionnaires by the end of the exhibition. The survey investigates, among other things, the current state of early detection of breast cancer, the mammography tests, and the perception of Gaza women in regard to the test.

Findings from this survey will help shaping HCI/AHCCCP’s future interventions concerning breast cancer early detection and the viability to implement a mobile clinic in Gaza specialized in mammography tests in the poorest and marginalized areas in Gaza.