Jerusalem, 4 November 2021 (TDI): The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) received an initial disbursement of US$ 600,000 from the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The funding was received by UNRWA Acting Director of External Relations and Spokesperson Tamara Alrifai at the Embassy of the UAE in Amman, Jordan. The funds are part of a $1.5 million grant towards safeguarding the right to education for Palestine refugee children in Gaza.
Through this funding, UNRWA will implement an annual project for the scholastic year of 2021-2022 for the UNRWA Beit Lahia Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Elementary Boys and Elementary Co-Educational Schools in northern Gaza. It will provide school supplies including bags, stationery, and uniforms to some 3,100 Palestine refugee students.
About the Role of UNRWA in Palestine
Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950.
Now, the humanitarian and socio-economic conditions for most of Gaza’s population are dire. After the Israeli aggression in May, widespread devastation mars the lives of some 2 million Palestinians living in the besieged coastal enclave.
UNRWA Spokesperson Tamara Alrifai, said: “We are grateful for the long-lasting and continuing support of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation to the UNRWA education programme. This donation from the Khalifa Foundation and the Government of the United Arab Emirates will have a direct and positive impact on the education and learning experiences of thousands of Palestine refugees, who successfully started a new school year in Gaza a few weeks ago”.
From his part, Mohamed Haji Al Khoori, Director General of Khalifa Foundation said, “We recognize the importance of UNRWA’s work with Palestine refugees, particularly here in Gaza. UNRWA has a commitment towards refugees in Gaza facing difficult circumstances”
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