COVID19 Response

Coronavirus restrictions closed down all public life for months...

The Palestinian society is hard-hit by the Corona virus pandemic that entered Bethlehem city in early March 2020. Hit by the fear and insecurity that comes with this new disease, by the loss of education, work, and income, by the loss of health and loved ones in a health care system that was already struggling to cope with its patients pre-COVID19. The local authorities have responded very quickly once the virus entered Palestine, and focused immediately on prevention - knowing that we have only a few hospitals that could take care of infected people. But in Palestine, with prevention comes a curfew, comes a full-on lock-down on cities and villages, come movement restrictions and restrictions on economic, social, educational activities (all eagerly enforced by the occupation army and the Palestinian police force). Children at home, workers without work, shops closed and business and livelihoods lost.

Of our project participants, already 7 out of 10 have an UNSTABLE monthly income and no fixed livelihood.
During the closure this means many of them lost their income for almost 90 days!

The safety restrictions also had an impact on project activities. Agricultural engineers and social workers are following up with the over 190 greenhouse participants by phone and online. Alhamdulillah, many of the women are largely self-sufficient when it comes to their greenhouses so we are seeing many of them actively taking care of the gardens. However, plans for setting up new greenhouses are postponed. Plans for entrepreneurship development with the women are postponed. Construction in the central production unit is delayed.

Karama Organization instead is focusing its efforts on relieving some of the pressures currently on the refugee camps and supporting local emergency actions. Together with other local civil society, Karama organized distributions in refugee camps in Bethlehem and Hebron area; distributing key food items, chicken, vegetables, milk and hygienic products. Supported by our donors; the European Union and Penny Appeal as well as individual donations, we are able to provide one-time cash transfers for almost 180 families, give Eid celebration bags to the camp's children and employ 80 workers in cash for work activities!