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.
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