Near East Foundation - RAMADAN FOOD PACKAGES - SMALL GESTURES BRING BIG COMFORT TO POOR PALESTINIANS

As the 2004 Ramadan began, 250 food packages cheered impoverished Palestinian families in the villages of Asira al-Shamiliyya, Yasid, Tuluzza, Al-Bathan and Bayt Imrin, all of whom have suffered extreme poverty in the past few years. Each package contained 16 different nutritious foods. Need was determined by the numbers of children and orphans, the sick and senior citizens, the unemployed and those families unable to maintain a minimum income level.

The mid-October distribution was initiated by Near East Foundation in cooperation with Mercy International and other partner organizations, 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. A case in point, the Municipality of Asira al-Shamaliya and their village Islamic charity committee provided another 200 food packages for those in need.

The packages in turn were distributed by local volunteers. "A moving spirit of volunteerism was stimulated with the start of this project and became the spirit of Ramadan in these poor villages," reported Nidal J. Dweikat of NEF's West Bank Office. He continued: "Volunteers from the villages cooperated with local governments to distribute the packages and were able to share the joy of their towns in Ramadan and what it means. In a society that has been hard hit by record unemployment rates for the last couple of years," the NEF staffer continued, "this gesture made Ramadan a little more happy."

According to a United Nations report released this month, three of every four Palestinians live in poverty and their economy depends on donors to stay afloat. The World Bank has cited a 40 percent fall in Palestinian per capita gross domestic product (GDP) since the outbreak of violence, saying it far exceeds the impact of the Great Depression in the United States.