Within days of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel and the Israeli retaliatory attacks, PWRDF issued an emergency appeal for Gaza. A relief grant of $30,000 was immediately sent to long-standing partner, the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. These monies were used to hire much-needed staff, and to buy an increased supply of fuel and medical supplies.
As they planned for longer-term support in the region, the Diocese of Jerusalem wrote a proposal for a new six-month project, scheduled to run from February 1st, 2024, to July 31st, 2024. This project was designed in consultation with Anglican Alliance, a partnership of Anglican humanitarian and development agencies, including the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF).
According to former PWRDF Communications and Marketing Officer Jacqueline Tucci, “Eight agencies from five countries (Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, and Canada), collaborated in support of this proposal. This relieves the Diocese of Jerusalem of needing to provide individual proposals and reports to each funding agency” at an already challenging time.
Key objectives of the project include support for:
• quality inpatient and outpatient health services at the Diocese of Jerusalem Health Institutions in the West Bank for the most vulnerable people directly affected
• quality education at the Diocese of Jerusalem Education Institutions in the West Bank, especially for children
• medical interventions (inpatient and outpatient) at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital for the wounded and traumatized in Gaza
The Diocese of Jerusalem Institutions that will benefit from this project include: Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, Saint Luke’s Hospital in Nablus, and Penmen Clinic in Jenin (Zababdeh village). Also benefitting are students at Christian National Kindergarten in Nablus and Saint George’s School in East Jerusalem. This joint initiative will directly support 2,608 people, and benefit an additional 14,512 indirectly: 17,120 in total.
PWRDF’s Humanitarian Response Coordinator, Naba Gurung, says that whatever the cause of a disaster, the goal is always to save lives and to reduce suffering of the most vulnerable. That becomes complicated when there are warring factions, so aid agencies like PWRDF need to communicate with local partners as situations change, and be flexible and adaptable. Last week’s plan often doesn’t work this week. However, aid agencies may ultimately have to help broker peace, or at least, accommodation, before they can deliver aid. PWRDF has offices only in Toronto, so it is often the sacrifices and commitment of local partners that make a crucial difference.
How you can help: Please keep the people affected by the war in your prayers. You can donate to PWRDF’s Gaza and West Bank Emergency Appeal online (https://pwrdf.org/give-today/), by phone at 416-822-9083 (or leave a message toll-free at 1-866-308-7973 for PWRDF staff to call you), or by mail. Send your cheque to PWRDF, 80 Hayden Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 3G2. Please indicate “Gaza” in the memo field.
