Palestinians attach great importance to education. Despite high unemployment rates, poverty and the difficulties of life under Israeli occupation, school enrolment rates in Gaza and the West Bank are among the highest in the region. Girls and boys are enrolled in equal numbers. Children and adults alike regard education as the main tool to improve their lives.
Arroub camp is a Palestinian refugee camp situated in the southern West Bank in Hebron district, 15 km south of Bethlehem. The camp was established in 1949 to offer refuge to Palestinians who were forced to leave their home villages after the establishment of the state of Israel. At present, 1284 families, a total of 9000 people, live on the camp’s 241 Dunum ( 0.24 square kilometers) . The average family comprises seven members. Job opportunities are scarce and the main source of income of most families is the food ration UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, distributes to needy families. The camp population is extremely young on average, with 62 percent belonging to the 0 to 24 years age bracket.
Independent research all over the world has shown that school students tend to perform significantly better in a comfortable environment. Availability of cool, clean drinking water is one of their most basic needs.
The Elementary Schools for boys and girls already received water refrigerators in separate projects funded by LFT and implemented by The Humanitarian Relief Society, an NGO that works to offer humanitarian relief to the poor in Arroub camp and other West Bank locations. The Society now appeals for provision of a water purification system and six water refrigerators for the camp’s Preparatory Boys’ School.
Project Details:
Donor: The Lady Fatemah (A.S.) Charitable Trust-London.
Beneficiaries: Arroub Camp Preparatory Boys School, Hebron, Palestine.
Number of Beneficiaries: 602 students.
Date of the project: Saturday, January 12, 2013.
Student’s details: 602 eager students from fifth stage-ninth stage, each stage divided into three classes, for the academic year 2012/2013, as follows:
| No. | Class | Section | Student Number |
| 1. | Fifth | A, B, C | 145 |
| 2. | Sixth | A, B, C | 129 |
| 3. | Seventh | A, B, C | 107 |
| 4. | Eighth | A, B, C | 114 |
| 5. | Ninth | A, B, C | 107 |
| Total | 602 | ||
Project content and materials:
| No. | Type | No. |
| 1. | Water cooler | 6 |
| 2. | Water plumbing, and electricity | - |
| 3. | Water filter | 1 |
| 4. | Wordings for water coolers | 6 |
Beneficiaries characteristics:
Distribution of the students by class level
Upon the completion of this charity project and on behalf of our youth, Arroub Camp Preparatory Boys School, my refugee people and the HRS-Humanitarian Relief Society board members I would like to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to The Lady Fatemah (A.S.) Charitable Trust for their generous support for our sons.
We have done this charity project not by our efforts alone, but also through your generous support and kindness, may Allah bless you and reward you the Jana, Ameen. “Saqa Allah Man Asqanaa”. “inna lanudeeAAu ajra man ahsana AAamala” (We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds). Sadaga Allah Al Atheem.
With my deepest salaamas and duas,
Professor Bassam Banat.
President
