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CHF International’s Impact in the West Bank and Gaza since 1994: |
Since 1994, CHF International has maintained a strong programmatic presence in the West Bank and Gaza implementing a variety of community service, job creation, and lending programs that are responding to the specific needs of the Palestinian people. CHF International is widely recognized by local communities as a deliverer of immediate, positive results that have both short-term and long-term benefits.
Current Progams:
Palestinian-American Recreation and Conservation Services (PARCS) is improving the environmental and living conditions of Palestinians through the construction and rehabilitation of public parks. The project is:
- targeting 16 communities in the West Bank and Gaza;
- improving access of approximately 816,000 people to recreational facilities;
- providing immediate job opportunities through labor-intensive implementation techniques; and
- generating over 41,000 days of employment.
Palestinian Economic Opportunity Program for Loans and Economic Development (PEOPLED) builds on CHF’s Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP) in Gaza, utilizing the same approach of working with private sector banks to deliver sustainable credit services. Like HILP, the program’s partner banks provide a portion of the loan capital, bear the full risk on that share, and participate in the servicing of the loans. The project is designed to:
- provide low and moderate income residents with immediate access to credit at the lowest possible cost;
- disburse more than US$16.5 million in loan capitol with local banks sharing a significant portion of the capital investment and risk;
- improve the living conditions of up to 3,670 families; and
- create approximately 444,000 days of employment for local residents.
Local Democratic Reform (LDR) - TAWASOL is assisting newly-elected local governments in ways that are fostering good governance for the people of West Bank and Gaza. CHF initiated this project in October 2005 to improve the capacity of local governments to more effectively:
- assess and prioritize needs;
- deliver and manage infrastructure and basic services; and
- implement strategic planning processes.
The Anti-Corruption Training (ACT) program is providing Palestinian youth with an understanding of corruption and how to combat it through transparency, accountability, and integrity. The objectives of ACT are to:
- teach young people to identify and limit corruption;
- support the Palestinian Authority reform program through a large-scale public education campaign;
- increase the capacity of the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN).
Humanitarian Assistance: Since 2005, CHF International has been a leading provider of humanitarian assistance programs providing critical services for thousands of unemployed, vulnerable families. CHF continues to implement the largest food-for-work and food-for-training program in the region, funded by the UN World Food Program. Working with the U.S Agency for International Development and several other international governmental and non-governmental organizations, CHF’s work covers the entire Gaza Strip and the three major governorates in the West Bank. Our program, providing gainful employment, viable job skills trainings, and much needed food aid, has assisted over 22,000 families, approximately 150,000 people.
Past Progams:
Palestine Infrastructure for Needed Employment (PINE) – Labor Intensive Building for Education Recreation and Training for Youth (LIBERTY) was designed using in-depth research of existing socio-economic data and through extensive consultations with stakeholder groups: the targeted communities, municipal bodies, and national ministries. The goals of the program are to:
- generate nearly 52,000 days of employment, through labor-intensive infrastructure development;
- improve educational and youth facilities through these construction projects; and
- renovate and upgrade 35 schools and construct five multi-purpose youth centers and kindergartens.
Policies and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs Readiness (POWER) is facilitating women’s entrepreneurship in order to raise women’s income, welfare, and social status and empower them to participate in the political, economic and social development of their communities. The program is working to:
- identify needed reforms to facilitate women’s participation in the economy;
- support the local Ministry of Women’s Affairs;
- provide design and business training to 40 women aiming to establish handicraft businesses and market handicrafts through NGOs; and
- create a Palestinian Women’s Handicraft Entrepreneurs’ Association and Regional Handicraft Network throughout the Middle East.