Q Life Magazine Q Magazine (US) December 2015 | Page 63

Humanitarian Aid | Qatar Commits $1 Billion to Gaza Rebuilding At a donor conference held in Cairo in October 2014, QATAR COMMITTED $1BILLION to the reconstruction of Gaza after the July–August war, the largest pledge of any country. The total pledges came to $5.4 BILLION, including $400 MILLION from the US. “We hire local people, to stimulate their economy,” says Corcoran. Gaza faces severe unemployment; the World Bank places it at 43 percent, the highest on earth. Projects like this don’t just bring people clean water—they improve sanitation and hygiene, which results in more children brushing their teeth, and easier access to water for bathing and cleaning clothes. They also promote female education, because girls are able to go to school instead of being sent to fetch water in bucket brigades. “There are huge multiplier effects here, in an urban culture that’s really struggling with poverty and disease,” explains Corcoran. “This is a test,” he adds. “If we can work together, we see this as a way forward to do many more projects.” “And I really like the idea that it’s Qataris and Americans working together—that’s a nice trend.” More than 2,000 PALESTINIANS and 73 ISRAELIS died in the 50-day war. The UN estimates 80,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving 100,000 Palestinians homeless. As part of its pledge, the Qatar Development Fund (QDF) presented the Palestinian Authority with a $100-MILLION interest-free loan in April 2015, to be spent on development projects. In August, QDF announced that it was donating $10 MILLION to the Wajd program to support 2,108 children and youths who lost their parents in the Gaza War. The donation, to be paid in four installments from 2015 to 2018 , will support the orphans and their families until they reach the age of 22 . It will cover most of their costs for education and medical treatment, including rehabilitation for the disabled and psychological support services. 63