Jerusalem-(BNEWS) - On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Anera gathered at the Rosary Sisters School in Beit Hanina, Jerusalem and students and faculty gathered at the Rosary Sisters School in Gaza for a virtual event to celebrate the newly constructed floor at the school in Gaza. In Jerusalem, the event was attended by USAID/West Bank and Gaza Mission Director Amy Tohill-Stull, and Principal of Rosary Sisters School/Jerusalem Sister Lucy Jadallah. From Gaza, Principal of Rosary Sisters School/Gaza Sister Nabila Saleh, and Anera’s President Mr. Sean Carroll participated in the event.
Prior to USAID’s assistance, the Rosary Sisters School in Gaza did not have the space to accommodate all high school level students. The insufficient number of classrooms meant that students would have had to transfer schools once they reached high school.
USAID invested $495,000 to construct and furnish an additional floor at the Rosary Sisters School in Gaza. The expanded school can now accommodate up to 125 high school students, enabling students to continue their high school studies, while providing stability for the students who now have the chance to graduate at their own school.
“We are working to build a generation with the slogan ‘we read as our ancestors read’. We thank the organizations that supported us and helped us meet our needs by expanding the Rosary Sisters School in Gaza, and providing a safe environment for modern education. This project has a great impact, and the construction of the additional floor contributed to the development of education in Gaza.” - Sister Nabila Saleh, Principal of the Rosary Sisters School in Gaza.
The new floor features five new classrooms, two teacher rooms, a handicap-accessible bathroom unit, and centralized A/C units. Additionally, an elevator was installed allowing the building to be fully accessible for persons with disabilities. The new floor was equipped with new school furniture and equipment, including desks, chairs, and smart boards. Together, these new facilities will serve both high school-level girls and boys, providing them with more space in a healthier and enhanced educational environment.
“Education builds the foundations for a better future, and we at USAID are committed to supporting students in Gaza, looking to invest in their education, improve their lives and give back to their communities.” - Amy Tohill-Stull, USAID/West Bank and Gaza Mission Director
This intervention generated more than 220 short-term jobs for Palestinian workers and was completed under the Palestinian Community Infrastructure Development (PCID) Program, funded by USAID and implemented by Anera.
“Education transforms lives into a bright future. I always feel happy and proud to work with our partners to develop infrastructure in Gaza. These important projects have a great impact on the development of society.” - Sean Carroll, President of Anera.
USAID is committed to improving the lives of Palestinians. Over the past year alone, USAID provided more than $110 million in development and humanitarian assistance in the West Bank and Gaza. USAID is also providing more than $150 million this year and will provide almost $270 million next year. In just over three years, USAID will provide over $500 million in programming to support the Palestinian people. In the first year of resumed assistance, USAID implemented approximately 45 projects in nine sectors.
In Gaza, USAID provides assistance to support Palestinians through targeted activities, including COVID-19 health response, short-term income generation, household water and sanitation access, emergency food assistance, critical relief supplies and protection for vulnerable groups.
