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Qusai Hamarneh, a West Bank farmer and press owner from the village of Asyira Alshamaleyeh has been working in olive oil for 20 years, proudly producing premium and extra virgin oils in this traditional industry. It constitutes 15 percent of the Palestinian agricultural economy.
He is one of 105 farmers and five olive presses benefited from NEF's revitalization of the Palestinian olive oil industry since September 2005 with a comprehensive program, teaching advanced practices and providing modern tools and equipment. The NEF olive oil project has been extended to May 2007, to benefit 453 farmers and five oil presses, and aims to produce 200 tons of extra virgin oil in the coming season.
This is just one facet of the integrated development model NEF is creating in a cluster of villages north of Nablus in the beleaguered West Bank. While meeting some basic needs, NEF seeks longer-term solutions with a wide range of continuing economic, environmental, educational, food, health, and cultural activities.
Some of the year's other highlights:
- An illegal dumpsite for more than 30 years has been transformed into a state-of-the-art, sanitary landfill for 3,500 households and area residents trained in recycling, creating an environmentally safe alternative for 17,500 people.
- In September the Asira Women's Center was inaugurated. Administered by NEF staff, the new center features food processing units providing gainful employment for women, a first rate health club where working women can "work out," a day-care facility for their children while occupied, meeting rooms for cultural activities, workshops and lectures as well as other amenities.
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The U.N. World Food Program has become a partner to NEF highly-successful "Cup of Milk" program, linking local bakeries producing biscuits and breads with our protein-rich nutritional supplements for 35 area kindergartens, serving 2,500 children every month for the school year. Discussions are underway to expand to 10,000 children in the northern West Bank.
- In yet other valuable partnerships, NEF distributed thousands of tablets of antibiotics and bottles of antihistamines throughout the West Bank, collaborating with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Palestinian Medical Relief Society, and Union of Charitable Societies. Drugs were provided by Health Partners International of Canada through a partner organization.
CLICK HERE FOR A DETAILED PROGRAM OVERVIEW OF THE WEST BANK (ANNUAL REPORT 2005)
CLICK HERE FOR OUR LATEST STORIES FROM THE FIELD IN THE WEST BANK
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