Welfare Association, represented by Dr. Tafeeda Jirbawi, General Manager, and Belen 2000 “representatives of the Palestinian people in Chile”, represented by Mr. Alex Sever, General Manager of Belen 2000, signed an agreement at Bank of Palestine’s General Management Head Office in Ramallah, in the value of 850 thousand dollars to support, enhance and improve the quality of provided health services in Gaza Strip.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Mr. Hashim Shawa, Bank of Palestine’s Chairman and General Manager, Mr. Francisco Bernales, Chilean Ambassador in Ramallah, and representatives from Welfare Association, Belen 2000 and Bank of Palestine.
Under the agreement, Belen 2000 will provide financial support through Welfare Association in the value of 850 thousand US dollars, which will be dedicated to provide Gaza European Hospital with the needed equipment and medical supplies to improve the quality and type of services provided at the hospital.
During the signing ceremony, Dr. Tafeeda Jirbawi thanked Belen 2000, the Palestinian people in Chile and the Chilean people for the great support and inspiration provided to our people. She explained that Welfare Association has contributed, and still contributing, to provide support to our people, especially to improve and enhance the quality of the provided health services and advance the performance of health institutions. Dr. Jirbawi expressed her appreciation to Bank of Palestine for its essential role in connecting and enhancing the relationship between Welfare Association and Belen 2000, and expressed her hope for this relationship to become a long-term strategic partnership.
Mr. Hashim Shawa expressed his contentment for signing this agreement, indicating that it is a kind gesture from the Palestinians living in Republic of Chile. Shawa added that the Bank made great efforts during the past years with the Palestinians in Diaspora, to encourage them to come back to Palestine and benefit our country with their expertise and financial capabilities to support community building and development. He added that many of Palestinians in Diaspora had contributed with the Bank in developmental and relief projects, such as through “Palestine in our Heart” campaign, which was dedicated to help our people in Gaza Strip under the aggression; in addition to other projects, such as “Al-Bayyara” project, which seeks to establish hundreds of recreational parks for children in Palestine.
Shawa also valued the support provided by Belen 2000, as the Bank was in continues communication with the institution in order to contribute and help Palestine and its people; he also thanks and expressed his appreciation to Welfare Association and anyone who provide assistance to our people in all fields.
Mr. Alex Sever, General Manager of Belen 2000, confirmed that this funding is the result of great efforts by the Palestinian people in Chile and the Chilean citizens, through large fundraising campaigns conducted in Chile, which demonstrates the continuous support to Palestine.
Welfare Association
The Welfare Association is an independent non-profit organization established in 1983 by a group of Arab and Palestinian business and intellectual figures to provide development and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank including Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, 1948 Areas, and the Palestinian communities in Lebanon. For the past thirty years, Welfare Association invested in the value of 550 million dollars that touched the lives of more than one million Palestinians on annual basis, in the fields of education, culture and youth employment, with a focus on supporting innovation, especially among the less fortunate groups.
Belen 2000
Belen 2000 is a non-profit organization established in 2001; the organization aims to attract funding from State of Chile in order to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian children and work to improve their standard of living, particularly in the areas of health, education and social development.