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In 1998 a local pediatrician
and a village mayor together contacted the Near East
Foundation office in the West Bank. Dr.
Hashem El Sholi and then-Mayor Assad Sawalmah from
the village of Asira Al-Shamaliya north of Nablus were
concerned about the increasing incidence of waterborne
disease among children in the area. To prevent
further outbreaks, help was needed. From these
initial meetings began a long, productive partnership
between NEF and an ever growing number of supporters--the
Asira Municipality, local councils from 13 villages
in the surrounding area, and more than 30,000 area
residents.
That relationship continues today and remains the
strong core of NEF’s 2004-05 programs in the
West Bank serving a “cluster” of villages: Asira
Al-Shamaliya, Sabastiya, Bayt Imrin, Nisif Jubail,
Burqa, Bazzariya, Al-Naqura, Dayr Sharaf, Yasid, Ajansiniya,
Bathan, Taluzza, Bayt Iba, and Zawata.
Initially, cooperation focused on the development
of a common vision for the entire cluster area, addressing
basic needs while seeking longer-term solutions to
endemic economic and social problems. Schools
were overcrowded and health services inadequate; water
and sanitation in need of repair and expansion; garbage
collection sporadic with few available dumping sites. In
particular, illegal roadside dumping and the burning
of toxic wastes were affecting health conditions throughout
the area. Also, family incomes were low and opportunities
for jobs scarce in a society characterized by a young
and growing population.
For NEF and its partners these were immediate priorities,
yet to address them meant more long-term approaches: human
development, institutional capacity building, and more
business-like planning and service delivery. This
in turn required effective leadership, good governorance,
and informed citizen participation. In
short, to assure sustainability of any improvements
made, there was a need for a delicate balancing act
between long-term development needs and short-term
priorities.
As is often the case, reality overtook planning. Economic
and social conditions quickly deteriorated given mounting
political pressures of the second Intifada,
and NEF’s focus shifted from the long-term to
simply “what’s possible with what we’ve
got.”
Local economies downslided. Laborers once accustomed
to good salaries, no longer were allowed to cross into
Israel, and agriculture no longer an option for the
majority of these young men. Education was interrupted. Freedom
of movement was restricted and often dangerous, affecting
the ability of employees to reach their work in the
West Bank; also preventing producers from obtaining
raw materials and from transporting goods to local
markets. Local councils, struggling to cope with
declining economic conditions, were strapped for cash,
and despite often valiant efforts, generally unable
to cope with emerging conditions. International
assistance downturned as the political situation deteriorated
further, and donor assistance increasingly focused
on emergencies and relief operations.
Despite all, the Near East Foundation continued to
build its relationship with local municipalities in
the “cluster,” bringing relief while establishing
a base for future, long-term projects. We did
all we could—and frankly accomplished a good
deal. The Near East Foundation Consortium of
NEF and its contributors, international partners and
project sponsors, provided assistance to families in
need, supported and encouraged school attendance, sponsored
summer camps, and encouraged community participation
in environmental education and clean-up campaigns. The
consortium helped pay mounting utility costs for local
families and small businesses; supported several self-help
initiatives for women and youth; planned and raised
funds for local infrastructure and water projects;
and shared in community celebration of special events. All
this was done in collaboration with local councils
and civil society organizations, with many others throughout
Palestine joining the efforts.
As a result and even during the height of the Intifada,
more than 1,000 children and their families were involved
in special programs for “Helping Kids Cope” under
conditions of continuing stress and violence. Over
2,500 children benefited from NEF provision of teaching
materials and school supplies for children, along with
very important nutritional supplements through our “Cup
of Milk” project. Building upon last year’s
success and responding to the requests of the six participating
communities, this year packages of dairy products went
to the entire family, not just to kindergarten children—particularly
helpful to the poorest. All 17 kindergartens
received the milk, white and yellow cheese, and other
local dairy products such as pasteurized lebaneh.
Indicative of local enthusiasm for “Cup of Milk,” there
was absolutely no absenteeism on distribution dates. Family
contributions to the program—about $9, 25 percent
of total costs—were easily collected in their
entirety in the first month. Building upon evident
parental support, this year NEF launched a health and
nutrition awareness program for the mothers of participating
children, attracting 440 women to the workshops. Also
the local dairy industry benefited. The Al-Safa
Dairy Plant in Nablus, for example, had an important
new outlet for its products during a difficult economic
period of generally low sales, assuring continued employment
for its workers and the 250 small farmers in turn dependant
upon the factory for their livelihoods. Tetra
Pac Inc. also is assisting the NEF program, funded
by a partner organization.
New classrooms were built onto existing schools and
in some villages, playgrounds and toilet facilities
added. In Asira Al-Shamaliya an amphitheater
was constructed with an added play area and cafeteria,
now venues for local celebrations and community events. A
new folkloric troupe nurtured along by NEF, now performs
in the amphitheater and at weddings and other celebrations,
building up pride and identity. “Emphasis
on traditional culture, folklore, and language is essential
for holding societies together in difficult times such
as Palestinians now face,” commented NEF Regional
Director Roger Hardister.
With NEF project development and proposal writing
assistance, the poorest of the poor in the village
of Yasid got clean, potable drinking water this year,
and workers in the area gainful employment while making
that possible. Funded by a grant from the Welfare
Association, the largest Palestinian non-governmental
organization, 20 water cisterns were dug. NEF
worked closely with the local village council to develop
transparent and accountable selection criteria. In
addition, local workers benefited from the 900 working
days needed to build the cisterns and an average income
gain of $13,500.
Also, NEF partnered with the national Palestinian
association working with youth, Taawon Cooperation
for Conflict Resolution, on boosting the infrastructure
and programming of three youth organizations in Nablus,
hopefully the pilot for an even bigger youth program
now in the planning stage, also financed by the Welfare
Association through World Bank Assistance.
The 10-month, nearly $100,000 project included the
renovation of three youth centers, three sport halls,
three Internet cafes and libraries, and four management
programs and workshops, benefiting around 600 young
people. “The emphasis is on financial sustainability
over the long term,” said NEF-West Bank Country
Director Tarek Z. Abdel Ghany Kotob, “designing
recreational and sports activities on a fee-for-service
or cost recovery system.”
With such assistance, large and small and throughout
the “cluster,” NEF has been instrumental
in creating new institutions and strengthening others. These
developments, while clearly positive in themselves,
all have a much bigger role to play as conditions in
the area become more stable and long-term plans come
on line.
A case in point and in consonance with the larger
vision with which NEF and the residents of the cluster
area began their collaboration years ago--the preparation
of a landfill site is well underway, benefiting more
than 3,500 households. The large, up-to-code
site, complete with electricity and water needed for
cleaning and composing, has been built by the
municipality of Asira. Also, five village councils
have signed on, sharing costs and benefits, and determining
the fines to be paid for violations of their new system. Roadside
dumps are to be cleared in cooperation with local councils
and illegal dumping ordinances are now being enforced.
Further, NEF’s Environmental Action Program
(EAP) has established a system of garbage collection
and sorting at the household level; providing for timely
transfer of sorted garbage to the project dumpsite;
identifying viable markets for recycled products; and
separating and sorting refuse to meet the demands of
recycling. In summary and no small feat, NEF’s
environmental program is providing jobs, improving
sanitation, increasing health, encouraging voluntarism,
developing local leadership, and instilling project
management skills. Indeed, many consider it a model
for future solid waste disposal for the entire West
Bank.
Some Environmental Action Program facts straight from
the grassroots include the following this year. Comprehensive,
50-hour, training courses held for 80 male and female
volunteers, focusing on solid waste management, sorting,
collecting and composting, as well as community leadership
and collaboration, communications and reporting. Equipped
with this information, they became the core of a much
larger volunteer effort to build community awareness,
in all kinds of ways, including house-to-house visits
along the town’s streets, advocating the sorting
of organic and inorganic waste, just one for-instance. NEF
field staff closely monitored the progress and development
of these volunteer groups to sustain their environmental
services and are at work forming new youth groups. Targeting
the sweepers in particular, collection employees in
the five villages were trained about solid waste’s
deleterious impact on the environment and in new sorting,
collecting, and disposal techniques at three workshops
and four additional meetings.
Among many other events designed to focus attention
on the environment, the Asira community planned, launched,
and directed clean-up campaigns, some attracting more
than 240 participants—people of all ages, involved
and volunteering. They collected waste, cleaned
streets and illegal dumping sites, painted, distributed
new waste bins, and generally worked together to make
their environment a better place to live—plus
promoted their cause with the placement of 2,000 posters
and 1,000 stickers.
Providing education without necessary resources only
creates frustration. So NEF arranged for such
elementary equipment as brooms and shovels for street
cleaning, on through arousing community pressure that
led to increased frequency of weekly waste collection,
accomplished by new tractors and trolleys—thanks
to NEF. Also, there are now environmentally-friendly
and educational play gardens for children, a creative
kids’ corners, mothers fitness center, among
other small but helpful happenings.
Agriculture and animal husbandry are key for an economic
revival in many parts of the “cluster” and
NEF is working with local authorities on plans to increase
the number of livestock and boost dairy product production. Already
underway is NEF’s rehabilitation of the
area’s olive industry and encouragement of a
wide variety of related income-generating activities.
To assure long-term sustainability, however, there
is a need for something larger. NEF and its partners
envision a tourist route through the “cluster,” beginning
in neighboring Nablus, the so-called “Gateway
City,” known for its historical core and traditional
markets. From there the route would wind its
way through one of the most beautiful natural areas
in the West Bank, with a varied landscape of rolling
hills, small forests, orchards, and water parks, amidst
picturesque villages mixing traditional and modern
buildings, open-air restaurants, and historic sites. Such
attractions already are a magnet for local tourists
and the hope is for many regional and international
visitors in the future.
NEF’s involvement in the “cluster” has
demonstrated without doubt the strong commitment of
local leaders to good governance; and these same local
councils are now moving beyond their individual concerns
to form a Joint Services Council. This in turn
will provide the legal status necessary to move forward
with larger cooperative efforts as well as the vehicle
to attract international funding. To support
this development, NEF is planning a pilot project promoting
good governance, encouraging greater transparency,
and providing a platform for broader participation
by local residents and civil society institutions in
their government.
In short, NEF’s involvement with these West
Bank villages exemplifies common economic problems
and social concerns creating shared solutions. We
think our “cluster” approach has clearly
demonstrated more options, increased cost effectiveness,
and helped assure sustainability. For all that
we thank our partners in 2004-05 for their support
in making it all possible: United Nations Volunteers
(UNV), Mercy International
(MI), the World Assembly of Moslem Youth (WAMY), Flora
Family Foundation, Mosaic Foundation, and other partner organizations.
While NEF is an international development organization,
we understand the importance of traditional feast days—and
their spirit of charity and community. As the
2004 Ramadan began, 250 food packages containing 16
nutritious foods cheered impoverished Palestinian families. Need
was determined by the numbers of children and orphans,
the sick and elderly, the unemployed and those families
unable to maintain a minimum income level. The
mid-October distributed was initiated by NEF in cooperation
with Mercy International and a partner organization,
and with the participation of local municipal governments
and Islamic charity committees in the West Bank villages
selected by the number of inhabitants. In addition,
the Ramadan food packages inspired yet more generosity,
for example, the municipality of Asira and their
village Islamic charity committee provided another
200 food packages for the needy.
A few months later, again joined by its partners,
NEF saw to it that nearly a thousand of the poorest “cluster” families
received the Eid Al-Adha feast day they deserved. Widows,
orphans, unemployed, those with special needs received
meat packages along with a “Happy Eid” card
and the good wishes of the NEF consortium supporting
integrated development in their villages. For Sa’ed
Mashaki, a young boy from the village of Yasid, whose
unemployed father had not been able to buy meat for many
feasts past--this was a real family celebration.
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