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16 January 2006. CARE recently inaugurated a new water pumping station in Ya’bad, a village near Jenin in the northern part of the West Bank. The pumping station will service Ya’bad and surrounding villages. The project, Emergency Water Supply and Sanitation in the Ya’bad Area, was funded by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid. The inauguration took place in September 2005. According to Shamseh Mohammed Asa’d Al-Abbadi, her family situation was very difficult before the pumping station was installed. Shamseh suffers from severe back problems, yet had to carry water from the well every day. Sometimes, her family was unable to obtain water from the well for four to five months. Due to the limited availability of water, even the simple task of cooking was very hard. Because of the difficulty in obtaining water, Shamseh was very careful using it. She used the same water for washing the dishes and cleaning the floor, then used it to water her plants. The family remained that way for 10 to 15 years. Shamseh lives with the families and children of her brothers Adel and Tawfic, and her elderly uncle. At times there are 20 people in the home. Shamseh said that now, four months after the new pumping station was installed, she is using water that is fresh and clean for her cooking and home needs. “Even the children can have a shower now, while in the past we could not keep the children clean.” The family used to spend approximately $ 65 a month to purchase water from other villages. Most of the cost was incurred for transportation. This put a tremendous burden on the family due to their limited income. Shamseh’s brother, Tawfic, used to farm but he is no longer working due to health problems The family’s only income comes from some olive trees and a small plot of wheat According to Shamseh “CARE was very good to us. I thank them each time I open the faucet and I find water.” |
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