Laying the Foundations for a Better Future in Gaza

Rania Hijazi, mother of 7, has had to struggle to keep her family warm during recent winters. The damage their house sustained in the summer conflict of 2014 left many cracks and holes, where wind and water easily got into the house. “Last winter was horrible,” she said. “Rain water was dripping from cracks everywhere.” In the Gaza Strip, where items like electric heaters can be difficult to come by, a structurally unsound house can make the winter cold especially difficult to endure.

Thankfully, this winter the Hijazi family will have no such worries. They are one of 22 families who have recently been able to repair their homes through the Zakat Foundation of America’s (Zakat Foundation of America) “Rebuild Gaza” program, carried out in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Families are prioritized by size and poverty status, so that larger and more financially vulnerable families are most eligible to receive aid. The UNRWA estimates that at least another 62 houses will receive similar repair work by March of 2017.

“My home is humble, but it gathers me with my husband and children. I don’t want a better home, all I hope is to return it back as it was, at least to spend winter without concerns,” Rania added.

Going forward, Zakat Foundation of America will continue to bring comfort and security to displaced and refugee families in Palestine through its fruitful partnership with the UNRWA. The partnership is a strong example of the effective relationships Zakat Foundation of America maintains with relief organizations around the world, and how such partnerships work to better serve the cause of humanity. Please join our project to lay the foundation of a brighter future for the people of Palestine and donate today.







Categories: Stories