November 2009
Beit Hanun, situated in Gaza near the border with Israel, is a predominantly rural area where many people work in agriculture. The area was heavily affected by military operations during “Operation Cast Lead.” During the offensive, Mr. Al-Salany and his family were forced to seek shelter in an UNRWA school for 15 days. When they returned to their home, they found the windows shattered, the walls cracked, and the doors damaged.
In addition, the agricultural land owned by the family sustained heavy damages during the fighting, resulting in the loss of the Al-Salany’s main source of income. Mr. Al-Salany explained that he hopes to be able to return to working on his land. “It’s my land and I won’t abandon it,” he said with pride. “I will rehabilitate and replant my land and teach my grandsons how to reach their goals and live in dignity.”
The Al-Salany family received a kit of household items from USAID’s Civic Engagement Program (CEP) through ACTED. Mr. Al-Salany was very satisfied with the quality of the items. “I’d like to thank USAID/CEP for this great kit,” Mr. Al-Salany said about the goods his family received. “You can tell that USAID/CEP really cares about the beneficiaries. The kits are really good quality; there is nothing this good in the Gaza markets.”
Mr. Al-Salany felt the cooking sets were particularly useful, as most of the family’s kitchen equipment was destroyed during the military operation. He explained that by providing these items, USAID/CEP enabled his family to save their limited resources in order to invest in other priorities.
USAID/CEP continues providing humanitarian assistance to improve the daily lives of vulnerable families in Gaza. |
