Welfare Association signed with both Bank of Palestine and Haj Hashim Atta Shawa Charity Fund two separate agreements in the value of 5 million dollars divided equally to support the orphans of the latest aggression on Gaza Strip, within “Wajd” project implemented by the Association, which aims to provide comprehensive and sustainable sponsorship to around 2128 orphans of children who lost one of their parents or their entire family as a result of the aggression on Gaza Strip in 2014.
The first agreement was signed on 08/06/2015 at Bank of Palestine’s General Management Head Office in Ramallah; the agreement was signed by Mr. Hashim Shawa, Bank of Palestine’s Chairman and General Manager, and Dr. Tafeeda Jirbawi, General Manager of Welfare Association. The second agreement was signed by Mr. Hashim Shawa who is in charge of Haj Hashim Atta Shawa Charity Fund and Dr. Tafeeda Jirbawi, General Manager of Welfare Association, in the presence of a number of officials from the Welfare Association and Bank of Palestine.
“Wajd” program was found in order to provide a decent life for the orphans who lost one of their parents or their first provider during the aggression on Gaza Strip in 2014. Under the agreements, Bank of Palestine will provide the amount of 2.5 million dollars, while Haj Hashim Atta Shawa Charity Fund will provide 2.5 million over ten years, in order to enable the program to provide sustainable education services for orphans, which covers the education supplies for children in kindergarten, schools, universities and technical institutes, in addition to the provision of healthcare, which includes lab tests, treatment and prevention, rehabilitation for people with disabilities and social and psychological support. In addition to the provision of vocational and career development services for orphans, including youth and mothers, enabling them to gain practical experience that will help them obtain job opportunities and establish small entrepreneurial projects that generate income. The agreement will also contribute in the development of the infrastructure of the institutions that provide various services for orphans and enhance communication and connection between these institutions.
Shawa indicated that the decision by the Bank and Haj Hashim Atta Shawa Charity Fund to provide donations for one of the Welfare Association’s projects is within their framework for social responsibility and in continuation of the Bank’s role as a national Bank with a clear development, social and humane vision towards children and orphans and in support for projects with social framework, in addition to enhancing humane ties and charity work along with continuing with its strategic plan to serve the society, especially in Gaza Strip, which lacks many of the services and has our people greatly suffering due to the occupation’s practices and siege. He also expressed his pride for the partnership with a significant and respected institution with such an effective history and reputation, such as Welfare Association. He indicated that this donation is the largest for Bank of Palestine and Haj Hashim Shawa Fund.
Dr. Tafeeda Jirbawi, General Manager of Welfare Association, expressed her appreciation for the generous support that Bank of Palestine and Haj Hashim Shawa Charity Fund continue to provide; she indicated that Bank of Palestine is considered one of the most prominent institutions that strongly adopts social responsibility, particularly towards orphans, children and people with special needs; she expressed her pride for the strategic partnership with Bank of Palestine in various fields, including “Wajd” project. Dr. Jirbawi noted the joint campaigns between Welfare Association and Bank of Palestine, including “Gaza in Our Heart” and “Palestine in Our Heart” campaigns, with total proceeds of over 1.5 million dollars that contributed to support the programs managed by the Welfare Association and alleviated the suffering of our people in Gaza Strip particularly, and also contributed to enable Palestinians to live on their land in general.
Dr. Jirbawi thanked Bank of Palestine for its sponsorship for “My Future” program that the Welfare Association launched five years ago for the children who lost their parents in the 2008 aggression, as the Bank provided half a million dollars to sponsor the health aspect of the programs, providing help for 1804 orphans; she added that Bank of Palestine renewed its commitment towards supporting orphans by signing the agreement today; she confirmed that the Welfare Association will work with full capacity to provide education and healthcare, improve the living standards and increase the chances for those orphans to obtain productive jobs that guarantee for them and their families a decent life and enable them to serve their country as active citizens.
Dr. Jirbawi also greatly thanked the Qatar Development Fund, which signed an agreement a month ago to support “Wajd” program for orphans with the amount of 10 million dollars over four years.
The Welfare Association is an independent non-profit organization established in 1983 by a group of 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 600 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.