Jeel Al-Amal

	Two Palestinian boys from Jeel Al-Amal

Jeel Al-Amal, meaning Generation of Hope, was founded in Jerusalem in 1972 by a team of Arab social workers under the loving guidance of Alice Sahhar. Established in response to a great need among destitute and displaced Palestinian children, the school cares and provides education for some 350 boys and girls. Classes are offered from kindergarten to sixth grade, giving the children opportunities they could never realise when homeless on the streets. Of mainly Muslim background, the children come from all over the West Bank and Gaza Strip; usually referred by local social agencies. They are also brought by families who, for one reason or another, are unable to provide the necessary care as a result of insufficient funds. Others have been orphaned and live permanently at the home. The measure of the expert care and education afforded them at Jeel Al-Amal is evidenced by the many who have gone on to be doctors, architects and lawyers. Many also have established families of their own and take great pleasure in returning for reunion celebrations. "This is their home, this is where they grew up," says Alice Sahhar.

Jeel Al-Amal reflects the ongoing difficulties of life in the occupied West Bank. The whole area continues to suffer tremendous political conflict - highlighted recently on our televisions due to the Afghan War and the continuing Israeli settlements on the West Bank. The problems between Arabs and Jews affect all the inhabitants of this land: the Jews live in constant fear for their security while Palestinians suffer land confiscations, occupation and restriction of movement around their own country - their own homeland! As a result of border closures and restrictions imposed by Israel the whole economy is in paralysis, which means there are acute shortages of medical services and supplies throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. All this takes place against the backdrop of increasing illegal expansion of settlement towns for new Jewish settlers. Onaway's former sister charity, Friends of the Galilean (F.O.G.), was acquainted with Jeel Al-Amal from its inception. When F.O.G. merged with Onaway in 1997, the latter continued to provide financial and moral support to the school. Despite operating in periodic fearful circumstances, the school has been a great success. Alice Sahhar recalls to Onaway:

"I often think people we have loved and who have loved us, not only make us more humane but become part of us. And we carry them around all the time whether we see them or not and in some way we are the sum total of those, like Onaway, who have loved us and those whom we appreciate a lot. For this reason and in spite of very difficult situations the school continues and tries to make life as pleasant as possible for our children."

Since the late 1960s Onaway has supported another Palestinian charity, the Beit Jala Society for the Aged, a residential home near Bethlehem for both aged and homeless Arabs. Grants totalling over £62,000 have served on a yearly basis to buy essentials like food, clothing and gasoline for heating and lighting and to keep the home running. Onaway continues to provide the homes much-needed subsistence and during the period 2000/2001 has contributed a further £9,000.

The Onaway Trust is a registered charity - number 268448.