QFFD AND EAA CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS IN IMPROVING ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR 219,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Education Above All (EAA) foundation, announced today, through its programme Al Fakhoora, which provides a comprehensive and vital support system for education in Gaza, that it has invested over US $ 31 million in the reconstruction, renovation and maintenance of educational infrastructure since the humanitarian emergency was declared in the area after the 51-day conflict in 2014.
This announcement was issued following the generous donation granted by Qatar Fund for Development. A delegation headed by His Excellency Khalifa Bin Jassem Al-Kuwari, General Director of the Fund along with representatives from Education Above All Foundation, visited the Gaza Strip earlier this week.
The Education Above All foundation has launched several projects with its partners, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in an attempt to rebuild and invest in the education system in Gaza.
These projects ranged from emergency medical assistance to the reconstruction of damaged buildings, the provision of psycho-social support for children, and the establishment of vocational programs for students with special needs. The projects have been vital for the education system in Gaza. They have been useful to almost all the families, whether through employment or by allowing pupils to attend the rebuilt schools.
Along with the 218,000 direct beneficiaries, and 1,000 scholarships for the youth, Al Fakhoora program has helped over 1.2 million indirect beneficiaries in Gaza.
Key achievements include: Ninety-three schools and universities built, repaired, extended or rehabilitated, 192 classrooms built or extended, 11,349 teachers trained in resiliency-based psycho-social support activities, 424 school counsellors and 642 mental health professionals trained, Twenty-five play therapy rooms and Seven specialized consulting units established.
For his part, the representative of the Education Above All Foundation stated: “We are proud of the work we have been doing to help rebuild the education system and provide much-needed support in Gaza over the last five years,”. “The continued deteriorating of the socio-economic situation in Gaza has led to large numbers of displaced and underprivileged children who don’t have access to education, shelter or support. EAA and QFFD will continue to work together, not only to deliver access to quality education but also to provide academic and social support programs that are improving children’s lives in Gaza for the better.”
EAA’s projects in Gaza focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG4), which seek to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and enhance lifelong learning opportunities for all.
On the other hand, HE Khalifa Bin Jassim Al Kuwari, General Director of Qatar Fund for Development affirmed the Fund’s commitment to contribute to changing the lives of children and refugees in Gaza. Through the launch of these projects and the investment in Palestinian human capital, we have been able to successfully empower the region’s most vulnerable youths.
HE expressed also his hope that the Fund would grow his partnership and play an even bigger role in educating and inspiring young people in Gaza so they can develop and prosper within their communities.”
