KinderUSA is in the process of publishing an e-cookbook that will be available for purchase during the holy month of Ramadan. We are requesting all our supporters to share their favorite family recipes, and we will be making selections from these submissions to be displayed in our Ramadan cookbook! Our goal is to create a cookbook with authentic,…
The Palestinian population continues to face extraordinarily difficult conditions all of which hinder proper psychosocial development. Years of war, human rights violations, food insecurity, and extreme poverty have only been exacerbated by COVID-19. These miserable conditions have an immense psychological impact, especially for children who are now quarantined with little to no social interaction. Families…
The continued, suffocating, blockade, now approaching its 15th year, has affected every aspect of life in Gaza, severely limiting access to all essential services, while leaving more than a half-million children without access to safe drinking water. Noura Erakat, human rights attorney and an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University, was recently quoted in the Euro-Mediterranean Human…
It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year we are unlikely to forget, exposing our vulnerabilities and strengthening our humanity. We faced many challenges across the globe that we never could have anticipated. Yet, our donors showed a level of support this past year that humbled all of us at KinderUSA and our…
After the death of her husband from a high voltage shock while attempting to repair the home refrigerator, 24-year-old Sa’adia suddenly found herself widowed with five children, the youngest 3 months old. Before her husband passed away, he struggled to bring home income working in the agriculture fields until that ended along with most jobs…
Like many families in the Gaza Strip, Ana’am was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. Losing both her job and home, Ana’am struggles to provide food and basic necessities for her 5 children. Rather than living on the street, space was found for her and her children in an abandoned store front, though it does…
The situation in the Gaza Strip has never been worse than it is nowadays. The global COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted the already terrible conditions the Strip was going through. People in Gaza are currently living in a double quarantine. The first quarantine is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the other one is due…
Ashwaq and her seven family members live in the Gaza Strip where she is responsible for ensuring her family has enough food and proper shelter. She struggles with high blood pressure and diabetes while three of her children also suffer from different disabilities and health problems. The family situation, coupled with the financial burden, puts…
“I have many illnesses, but my main source of pain is not being able to feed my children.” said Sabra, who must feed and shelter 11 family members. The Guardian recently reported that in Gaza families search through rubbish to find food to feed their families. During this unparalleled period, the ripple effects from COVID19…
The next installment of our live conversation series, Talks on Palestine, is Saturday, October 17th at 10 AM PST/ 12 PM CST/ 1 PM EST featuring Noura Erakat and We Are Not Numbers! Join us as we hear stories directly from Gaza’s fence. Stream LIVE on our Facebook page or YouTube channel. The video will…
KinderUSA is in the process of publishing an e-cookbook that will be available for purchase during the holy month of Ramadan. We are requesting all our supporters to share their favorite family recipes, and we will be making selections from these submissions to be displayed in our Ramadan cookbook! Our goal is to create a cookbook with authentic, time-honored recipes that represent the unique foods and cultures of our amazing group of diverse donors, while also showcasing the love of food and family that unites us all.
In this increasingly divided globe, it is important, now more than ever, to shine a light on the many contributions our communities have shared with the world. As the Noble Quran states (49:13) “O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know one another!”
Through our Ramadan e-cookbook, we hope to share a wide selection of diverse, international dishes. At the same time, by highlighting the delicious cuisine that can now be found in top chefs’ cookbooks and restaurants, KinderUSA hopes to amplify awareness of the culinary heritage and resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of generations of upheaval and displacement.
We encourage you to share your favorite recipes, photos, and personal stories about your special dish to create a genuine cookbook that can be shared for years to come. If you are interested in contributing to this exciting project, please email christine@kinderusa.org for the next steps.
The Palestinian population continues to face extraordinarily difficult conditions all of which hinder proper psychosocial development. Years of war, human rights violations, food insecurity, and extreme poverty have only been exacerbated by COVID-19. These miserable conditions have an immense psychological impact, especially for children who are now quarantined with little to no social interaction. Families have taken on the additional burden of having to home school children, adding to the strain of an already fragile familial system.
KinderUSA partners with Yes Theatre, a grassroots Palestinian organization, which focuses on providing a theatre-based therapeutic approach to address the growing gaps in the mental health of Palestinian children. Specifically, their program Drama4Healing, utilizes psychological interventions based on drama, theatre, therapy, and counseling to engage children in drama and art-therapy workshops.
Participation in these workshops exposes children to therapeutic teachings they would otherwise never have an opportunity to partake in. The lessons give children the chance to express their frustrations, learn coping mechanisms, and engage with their peers. Each workshop provides stabilization to children whose mental state would otherwise go unaddressed.
The goal of Yes Theatre this year is to target 200 children, both male and female, who have been previously detained and/or affected negatively by COVID-19. A total of 20 workshops will be held throughout the entire year, offering promising chances for these children to grow and find the stabilization and mental wellness they deserve. A donation of $100 will support a child throughout the entire year, allowing them access to the necessary tools needs to improve their overall mental wellbeing. Your support of $100 will provide a child access to all 20 workshops, a year worth of psychological improvement.
Your continued support throughout the years helps make all our work possible. We are able to successfully provide hope and growth for the children of Palestine because of your generosity.
The continued, suffocating, blockade, now approaching its 15th year, has affected every aspect of life in Gaza, severely limiting access to all essential services, while leaving more than a half-million children without access to safe drinking water.
Noura Erakat, human rights attorney and an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University, was recently quoted in the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, “We are now entering 2021, the fifteenth year of Israel’s naval blockade and land siege, and the global community seems unfazed by the unlivable conditions in the tiny coastal enclave…These conditions are unconscionable and have no moral, legal, or policy justification. The siege must end without preconditions and condemned to the history of atrocities never to be repeated again.”
With unemployment amongst the highest in the world, poverty rates hover above 56%. COVID has exasperated life for children further with schools closed and nearly 600,000 children lacking access to a reliable power supply and the internet, and no computer access. Many parents find the only alternative is to coordinate phone sessions with their teachers to receive their daily lessons.
After successive wars targeting the population in Gaza, post-traumatic stress disorder is common among children and now with lockdown, parents are finding their children afraid to socialize outside of their immediate family. Many in Gaza refer to it as a “double post-traumatic stress disorder.”
KinderUSA ended last year providing fresh food to families in desperate need amidst reports of children digging through garbage for food. Moving into the new year, we have already begun preparing for Ramadan incorporating female-owned farms who must care for their children and often, extended family, alone; a small scale rabbit farming project that will enlist men and women, providing them with income to care for their families; and a food processing project for female-headed households providing them with all the tools, skills, and education needed to start their own business.
This is a sampling of the work ahead we are able to do with your continued support. In the midst of the pandemic, our donors proved to be humanitarians bolding stating, the children in Palestine will not be forgotten. Working together, you empower families who want to support themselves with the goal of promoting the overall well-being of their children.
KinderUSA will continue to push for solutions that prioritize sustainability. Thank you for continuing to stand with the children in Palestine.
It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year we are unlikely to forget, exposing our vulnerabilities and strengthening our humanity. We faced many challenges across the globe that we never could have anticipated. Yet, our donors showed a level of support this past year that humbled all of us at KinderUSA and our partners in the field. While the vaccine provides a light at the end of the tunnel, we cannot let this blind us to the reality that remains ahead for the most vulnerable and poorest of families.
Closing out of the emergency food distribution this month only reminds us of the enormous need however small our contribution positively impacting the lives of 35,000+ children, women, and men. Families are desperate in many parts of the globe, and acutely in our areas of operation: Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon. The most vulnerable children in Gaza lack basic nutrition leaving a generation dependent on aid as their only lifeline. With a blockade entering its 14th year of land, air, and sea, a grim picture continues to unfold, magnifying the inability of families to access the basic services they need to survive.
Ahmed and his family have been contributing to KinderUSA since our founding 18 years ago. He took the time out of his schedule to appeal for the continued support of our work as we close out this remarkable year.
On behalf of the children we serve, our partner organizations, our board of directors, and the KinderUSA team, we thank you for your humble generosity over this past year which translates into an expression of solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable. Please be safe.
After the death of her husband from a high voltage shock while attempting to repair the home refrigerator, 24-year-old Sa’adia suddenly found herself widowed with five children, the youngest 3 months old. Before her husband passed away, he struggled to bring home income working in the agriculture fields until that ended along with most jobs in Gaza due to the pandemic.
Sa’adia now relies on charity, the goodwill of neighbors, family when they can, and organizations like KinderUSA just to feed her children. Living alone with her five children in a house that lacks the most basic needs has been a challenge and a blessing; they do have shelter unlike many female-headed households in Gaza.
“I am unable to feed my children and I wait for my relatives or my brother who has a big family to help me with the least they can, I do not know what to do to provide my children with their needs.” Said Sa’adia.
Along with 880 other families in desperate need, our partners on the ground in Gaza provided Sa’adia with enough food for a month as part of the KinderUSA Emergency Food Distribution. Each family received enough food to get them through a month which includes dried legumes, canned meats, eggs, milk, and PPE.
The parents of thousands of vulnerable children in Gaza do not know where their next meal will come from. This, at the same time COVID-19 is ravaging the country contributing to rising levels of hunger and poverty. Moving into the New Year, Gazan’s will face even more hardships as families move in a downward spiral of uncertainty.
For $75 you can feed a family such as Sa’ada’s for one month. That’s just $2.50 a day for 6 family members. Whatever amount is meaningful to you, please consider making a donation today. Thank you for your humanity and please, be safe.
Like many families in the Gaza Strip, Ana’am was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. Losing both her job and home, Ana’am struggles to provide food and basic necessities for her 5 children. Rather than living on the street, space was found for her and her children in an abandoned store front, though it does not have proper kitchen or bathroom facilities. These unhealthy and unsafe conditions exacerbate the situation for two of her children who suffer from various health concerns.
During these difficult times, Ana’am’s family relies on food assistance from the UN and relatives, but it is still not enough to cover their basic needs. Today, many families like Ana’am are struggling to put food on their tables, experiencing the most extreme conditions due to COVID related economic closures and lock downs.
Our partners in Gaza were directed to Ana’am as a family in desperate need and were provided with enough food for a month, along with 650 families who are beneficiaries of the ongoing KinderUSA Emergency Food Distribution. Each family receives enough food to get them through a month which includes dried legumes, canned meats, eggs, milk, and PPE.
Thank you to all of those who continue to support our efforts during this critical time in all of our lives, but particularly the lives of Palestinians living in Gaza. This virus knows no borders and now, Gaza is experiencing a 30% infection rate and facing another countrywide lockdown. We are appealing to all our donors to continue to support this project so we can reach more families. For $75 you can feed a family for one month. That is just $2.50 a day. Please make a donation today to help us expand our reach. Thank you.
The situation in the Gaza Strip has never been worse than it is nowadays. The global COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted the already terrible conditions the Strip was going through. People in Gaza are currently living in a double quarantine. The first quarantine is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the other one is due to the blockade which has been the Strip’s harsh reality for the past 14 years.
Gazans find themselves trapped in increasingly unlivable conditions. This quarantine has led to more food insecurity, unemployment, and poverty rates. There are more than 1800 families, which is increasing daily, that are quarantined with no access to basic needs such as food and medications. These families consist of children, people with disabilities, and elders. The government is not able to supply these families with their daily needs. KinderUSA has been working on supporting more than 600 of these families over the last few months but it is still just a drop in the bucket of need.
The situation did not only worsen economically but also psychologically, especially for children. For the many children living in camps, school is considered an outlet for their energy and is also a release from the pressure they feel due to the blockade and ongoing conflict. Schools are now closed as a preventative measure to avoid spreading the virus. This closure has resulted in a great number of children receiving no education for the past months. Home learning systems are not an option because of the lack of proper internet and electricity. It is expected that children will be in need of more psychological support after the pandemic since they are not communicating with their peers and locked in their houses.
Today we have 30 neighborhoods out of 90 in the Gaza Strip, considered as red zone areas where movement is restricted due to the spread of the virus there. These 30 areas are known to have at least half of the population in the Gaza Strip. The closure of these areas forced many people out of their jobs, leaving them unable to afford their basic needs and scrambling just to feed their families. People in Gaza have reported that they would prefer to die due to COVID-19 instead of hunger. After allowing companies, high schools, and markets outside of the red zones to reopen for only 11 hours within the past month, all premises are expected to close fully again due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
The increasing number of COVID-19 cases is also overwhelming hospitals as they are unable to provide medical assistance to such huge numbers of people. Today, more than 20% of the daily tests are positive, which means that the number of cases is increasing rapidly. Yet, hospitals lack testing kits meaning people are not able to get tested, further increasing the danger of spreading the virus. Hospitals also have a shortage of almost 47% of medications to assist COVID-19 patients. The people needing intensive care include the young, elderly, and those with chronic diseases. A huge problem is there are only two hospitals dealing with COVID-19 cases with a total of 50 beds in the intensive care unit.
The Gaza Strip has been never in so much need of humanitarian aid and your help. The levels of poverty, food insecurity, psychological problems, unemployment, and more are becoming the Strip’s reality. We want to thank our on-the-ground coordinator, Hana, for her tireless work in getting important resources and hope to our people. We appreciate you.
KinderUSA continues to provide emergency food relief baskets to families that include dried legumes, canned meats, eggs, and milk. This virus knows no borders and is leaving a devastating cost most particularly on human life and the lives of our children. It is our shared responsibility and now more than ever, we need to support each other. We are appealing to all our donors to please contribute so we can reach more families. For $75 you can feed a family for one month. That is just $2.50 a day. Please make a donation today to help us expand our reach. Thank you.
Ashwaq and her seven family members live in the Gaza Strip where she is responsible for ensuring her family has enough food and proper shelter. She struggles with high blood pressure and diabetes while three of her children also suffer from different disabilities and health problems. The family situation, coupled with the financial burden, puts huge pressure on Ashwaq.
Ashwaq previously worked in embroidery but was forced to stop after a surgical procedure. She receives assistance from her daughter every three months but must rely on her son finding work to cover her family’s basic needs. Like the majority of Gazan’s who are unemployed, food insecurity, coupled with COVID-19, has only exacerbated their daily lives.
“We used to live with the least of food, but since COVID19 and the lack of work, we were not even able to have bread to eat, so there many days have passed without finding food for my family”, said Ashwaq.
Ashwaq, along with 33 other female-headed households in the Gaza Strip, were beneficiaries of the KinderUSA Women Empowerment Chicken Farming Project. Her family received the knowledge and tools needed to successfully raise and sell 200 baby chicks in the open market. Now, her chicken breeding business is up and running and she finally has the opportunity to become self-sufficient.
“I am very happy because I needed a project that will provide for me and my family with a fixed income to ensure our food security. I will use the money that I will get from the project to pay for our medications that I was not able to afford despite of our urgent need for it continuously.”
Thank you to all who help to provide economic sustainability for these women, leading to the better health of their children and assured continued education.
“I have many illnesses, but my main source of pain is not being able to feed my children.” said Sabra, who must feed and shelter 11 family members.
The Guardian recently reported that in Gaza families search through rubbish to find food to feed their families. During this unparalleled period, the ripple effects from COVID19 has witnessed mass unemployment, poverty, and hunger.
Sabra and her children live in harsh conditions in north Gaza in a structure, lacking electricity, and with water not properly connected leaving all vulnerable for numerous waterborne diseases.
“I cannot do it all. Food is first, to feed my children,” said Sabra.
“My disease is not my suffering. Its watching my children go without. We have no source of income except for charity given every three months, which is not enough for us to eat. After the pandemic and closure, most of the time we do not find anything to eat. When I do find food, I use fire to cook our food from wood and scrap on the street. Even that is becoming scarce.”
Our partners in Gaza were directed to Sabra as a family in desperate need. “Several days ago, we were contacted. They saw my poor living situation, and today provided me with a food parcel with fresh vegetables and more. We received the most basic and necessary food items for the house, even eggs! Eggs has not entered my house for more than a year!”
Like 600 other families in Gaza, Sabra is recipient of the KinderUSA Emergency Food Distribution that is ongoing. The project provided Sabra and her family with the basic and necessary items to ensure food security during this unprecedented period. For $75 you can feed a family like Sabra’s for one month. That is just $2.50 a day.
KinderUSA is not alone caring for families during these desperate times of worsening hunger and poverty. This virus knows no borders and is leaving a devastating cost most particularly on human life and the lives of our children. It is our shared responsibility and now more than ever, we need to support each other. Please make a donation today to help us expand our reach. Thank you.
The next installment of our live conversation series, Talks on Palestine, is Saturday, October 17th at 10 AM PST/ 12 PM CST/ 1 PM EST featuring Noura Erakat and We Are Not Numbers! Join us as we hear stories directly from Gaza’s fence.
Stream LIVE on our Facebook page or YouTube channel. The video will also be available after the fact across on Instagram and here on our website. While the event is free, registration is required.
We envision a free, just and peaceful Palestine where children thrive and look forward to a productive future, like children everywhere.
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