The international society has long been messing around with Palestine. PARCIC is determined to do our best for the people there.
Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, more than 50% of Palestinians have become refugees and scattered to neighboring Middle Eastern countries, the United States, Europe, etc. Among the Palestinians living in the autonomous territories, about 70% of those in the Gaza Strip and 30% in the West Bank are registered refugees from the areas that are now parts of Israel.
The Gaza Strip is often referred to as “a prison without a ceiling.” Since 2007, Israel has imposed a military blockade over the territory. The one-million population there are deprived of freedom of mobility and the transport of goods necessary for their lives is restricted. They are unable to secure the food and the unemployment rate is 42%. Under such circumstances, young people find it difficult to have hopes and dreams for the future. In the West Bank, more than 60% of the area is under Israeli military control. Villages and towns are divided by a separation wall of 8 meters in height and Israelis have continued building their settlements against international law.
In the wake of the 2014 war, PARCIC began supporting Palestine with the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Since 2016, we have been working in the West Bank where we support activities to create a circular economy.
We provided agricultural reconstruction assistance, food distribution, and psychological care for children in border areas in the central Gaza Strip.
Waste disposal is a serious problem in the West Bank. To address the issue, we support activities in the garbage separation and recycling of resources, production of compost from food scraps, and promotion of organic farming there.
Progress of waste separation project in Asira
To promote the greening of the area and raise awareness of environmental conservation in the West Bank, we plant trees together with local villagers in abandoned farmlands and public spaces.
To address the high unemployment and poverty rates in the Gaza Strip, we are supporting women dairy farmers who raise sheep and sell milk and other dairy products. We also aim to empower these women through the support to improve their livelihoods.
In the wake of the airstrikes by Israel on the Gaza Strip in May 2021 that lasted for 11 days, we started emergency assistance activities to help the reconstruction efforts of the affected farmers.