HEBRON, March 9, 2010 (WAFA)- In a closing ceremony held today in Hebron, Save the children with funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) announced the end of its cash for work project. 2,136 vulnerable households in the most marginalized areas of the southern West Bank and the Gaza Strip were provided with emergency livelihood generation support over the last 12 months.
Through generous funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (DG ECHO), approximately 2,136 individuals, 12,816 households in 14 communities have benefited from income generation opportunities in their communities throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.
In line with its special mandate to respond to the needs of children globally and especially here in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and through this project, a number of child-friendly community parks, pre-school educational facilities, youth sporting facilities and community roads were rehabilitated, for the benefit of children, their families and communities. Most vulnerable and most affected households in the aftermath of the Gaza war in January 2009 and the Al Mograkha floods in Gaza in February 2010, have also benefit from the project through critical emergency assistance.
“Many poor households have lost their main sources of income, due to access restrictions in the West Bank, the blockade on Gaza, as well as the overall weakened Palestinian economy,” Jerry Farrell, Country Director for Save the Children, said. “Emergency job creations programs are critical to providing the basic income that vulnerable household require to cover basic needs such as food and water – our programs ensure that these households do not fall further and further into poverty” he continued.
Lina Rabadi from ECHO said: “ECHO’s cash-for-work programmes provide vulnerable individuals with short-term employment and a temporary income. In 2010, ECHO will allocate 8 million Euros for cash-for-work programs that benefit over 43,000 individuals and their families. ”
Save the Children is continuing its emergency livelihood generation program in 2010-2011, through the Cash-for-Work Project, targeted the southern West Bank governorates of Bethlehem and Hebron, with continued support from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO).
To be noted that ECHO provides emergency assistance and relief to victims of natural disasters or armed conflicts in more than 60 countries outside the European Union. Since 2000, ECHO has provided more than EUR 500 million in aid for the most vulnerable Palestinians in the Occupied Territory, financing not only access to quality water, but also emergency job creation programmes, primary and emergency health assistance, food aid and security, psychosocial care, as well as protection services.
Save the children: as a non-profit U.S based development organization, has been working in Palestine Territories since 1973. Since starting its operation in west bank and Gaza Strip, SC has concentrated on enhancing Health, Educational, Psychosocial, Food security, and economic opportunities in order to achieve its mission, namely to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children.
