NURTURING PALESTINE’S FUTURE TODAY: HOW ARE THE CHILDREN?

Dear Friends of UPA,

The past few months since I wrote to you in our previous issue of UPAConnect (Spring 2021) have been both challenging and inspiring. Challenging because of the injustice Palestinian communities continue to face every day; and inspiring because of your unyielding solidarity with these communities despite the formidable threats they face.

As I write these words, I am thinking of Palestinian children like Khitam al-Hissi, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl from Rafah in the Gaza Strip, who enjoys reading and writing at a library UPA recently renovated with your generous support. Just a few weeks ago, Khitam won the Bronze Medal of UNESCO’s World Tales Short Story Competition.

Khitam’s achievement, despite all the hardship Palestinian children face, reminds me of a traditional greeting among the Maasai people in Africa: “How are the children?” one would greet another who, in turn, would answer “all the children are well.” This nod to children emphasizes the high value the Maasai people place on their children as the key to their society’s future wellbeing.

Where Palestinian children are concerned, we share the same belief. From the early days of UPA’s Child Sponsorship Program established 35 years ago, which has since developed into today’s Children’s Fund, your commitment continues to ensure the wellbeing of Palestinian children.

Indeed, in every facet of our work, providing support to children is always accounted for to the fullest measure possible.

As you will read in the pages of the latest issue of UPAConnect, your generosity and contributions to UPA’s fundraising efforts like the “Ongoing Nakba” and “We Will Rise!” campaigns enable us to provide comprehensive interventions that benefit children and their families in the areas of physical and mental health, education, and economic development.

These interventions nurture Palestinian children and empower their families to provide for them as the single most precious investment into Palestine’s future, so they can succeed and become active members of their communities.

This critical work would not be possible without your solidarity. I am especially delighted to share with you in this issue some of the kind and inspiring messages UPA received in recent months from our friends and donors around the world.

United in our commitment to empower Palestinians, UPA’s staff and partner organizations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Jordan, and Washington D.C are grateful for your continued trust and financial support.

In Unity,

Saleem F. Zaru 
Executive Director