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September 20, 2005. With funds from the European Union (EU), CARE West Bank and Gaza is helping people in the northern part of the West Bank through the program “Sustainable Access to Food and Security in Jenin” (SAFES). The program started in March 2004 and will continue for three years. 4,200 persons, from approximately 700 households in 10 villages, are receiving help. Activities include: sheep distribution, cistern construction, seed distribution, development of household gardens, waste-water treatment units, community mobilization, and technical assistance. According to Malek Sharqawi, from the village of Al-Zababdeh, the two sheep he received are making a difference in his life. Malek has been unemployed for five years – unfortunately, a typical situation in the Jenin area. In order to provide for his family and himself, Malek tried to work as a farmer, yet he could not cover the needs of his family of three children who are 5, 3, and 2 years old. Malek and his wife, Rozan, work together on attending to the sheep. Recently, the family sold one of the new-born sheep to cover some of the family costs. Living conditions of the Sharqawi family improved steadily since December 2004 when they received the two sheep and a shed for the sheep. Since then, Malek said, I became very happy. According to Malek, he is aware that the European Union is helping people in devastated situations. Malek said, “At first, I used to buy milk and yogurt for my children. Now the EU is helping me sustain myself and my children.” So she can help her husband Malek, Rozan attended training in food processing held by CARE consultants. A group of 24 women had attended the training. Now the women can help their families economically, they do not have to buy certain food items, and they know the food they are eating has no preservatives. According to Nader Abu Khader, he could not believe it when he was informed by CARE that he will be a beneficiary in this project. Normally Nader is a farmer, but since he owns no land, he works on anything - construction work, picking olives, stone masonry -“just name it, I did it,” said Nader. He and his wife Mary have five children, and this project is helping them meet their family needs. Nader and Mary spoke with pride about their older son who did extremely well in the seminary high-school. The boy wanted to study medicine or engineering, but could not do so because the family could not afford it. According to Nader, “We are helping him pursue his higher education. We sold one sheep and we paid part of his university tuition.” Nader and Mary live in a rented home and they own no land. Mary said: “when CARE staff visited and saw our living conditions, they gave us two sheep, six bags of feed, and the material to build a yard for the sheep.” Mary attended CARE funded training programs on dairy production, food and nutrition, and received brochures and information on how to attend to the sheep. Mary is hoping that, with good practices, the number of sheep will increase so she will pay for her son’s tuition in the university. In the small town of Jalqamus, Ziad Al-Karem had a grey-water treatment unit installed next to his home, also as part of the SAFES program. Ziad used to work as a driver on a truck owned by his father, but now that most of the roads are closed, work is very scarce and he has not been able to find work as a driver. Now the family is conserving water with the new unit. Previously, the water that was used for showers used to go straight to the drain, but now thanks to this project, water is recycled and it goes to watering the agricultural produce. According to Ziad, six months ago he used to spend whatever little money he earned on purchasing fresh water. Now he is using 1/3 of the amount of water he used before, because water is recycled. Since the project was implemented, Ziad noticed that it made the life of his entire family easier, especially his wife, as she does not have to carry water containers and she has plenty of fresh water for their home consumption and children’s cleanliness. |
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