VPM’s visit to Gaza (16 -21 January 2013)

Posted in VPM

home welcomeDr Husna and Mohamad Afiq are representing VPM on this trip to Gaza organized by Aqsa Syarif (AS) code A2G13. 

Apart from the job allocated by AS, as VPM volunteers, they will be required to audit VPM projects in Gaza. It is a working visit and not like others who go to "just see the disaster and tour". We in VPM & AS do not encourage the idea of "disaster tourism" or "volunt-tourism". All our volunteers must make themselves useful to the people of Gaza and ensure all our projects to help the people of Gaza are up and running.

We have identified 3 major areas for them to audit:
Rantissi Hospital

  • to communicate with Dr Ismail, head of pediatric surgery, on the requirements of the planned pediatric surgical unit in Rantissi Hospital which VPM will endeavor to fund so they must see the unit and take pictures to document etc;
  • hand over the surgical sutures to Dr Ismail; and
  • enquire on the use of the surgical staplers VPM funded recently for use on cases of imperforate anus

School Project

  • to view the schools which we and the Ministry of Education Malaysia funded for refurbishment and rehabilitation - funds worth RM 1.7 million of which to date, we have sent 251,000 Euro and USD177,000 for this project. There is a balance of RM173,981 which is about 10 % of the project sum left in our VPM accounts.
  • take pictures to document the physical changes
  • listen to the appraisal of the project by the chairman of ISJ (Islamic Society Jabaliya), Dr Abdul Rahim Shehab

Micro-Financing Project

  • to view the operations of our micro financing project to the women of Gaza undertaken by Women Vocational Training & Rehabilitation Centre managed by Family & Society Association, Gaza; and
  • listen to the progress report by Dr Wesam, coordinator of this project
  • and if satisfied to disburse USD20K of funds raised from Ramzy Seattle Marathon run to fund more micro-financing projects

Dr Musa
VPM Chairman

Dr Husna and Mohamad Afiq Diary of their trip to Gaza

 

 Husan Miko

Met Miko Paled and together we did handover of book.

Manal, the lady who brought Miko to Gaza is a refugee currently living in UK and has been for 12 yrs. She travels to speak about the Palestinian-Israel issue (with her background in political science). She has brought over 1000 people to Palestine to see the situation there. Hopefully she will come to Kuala Lumpur one day. She is good friends with the producer of ‘5 Broken Cameras’.

 micro financing micro financing-carpentry

 

Beneficiary of micro financing - carpentry and he is getting married with income from his business

Beneficiary of micro financing - Bird farmer whose son has used profit for tuition fees at Al Aqsa University.

 hospital1 hospital4

Alhamdulillah Friday morning in Gaza. Today will have breakfast at the bakery (funded by Aqsa Sharif) then head to hospital to meet Dr Ismail and audit Rantisi Hospital.

 Ward rounds with Dr Ismail, 7yr old came in yesterday with abdominal pain, in shock. Hair clips and ring brought by VPM were given to her and that truly cheered her up.

 hospital2

The neonatology unit with 10 incubators equipments all complete but NO staff/team!

MasyaAllah Dr Mahmoud introduced me to two of his students very talented writers. One will continue BA in English at Oxford. We have made contact with her and asked  her if we can use her writings for our publications. She writes here http://wresist.wordpress.com/. Her writings have won prizes!

Went to the border,  Alhamdulillah the Palestinians are now able to go to the borders after the last victory to see their land on the other side (now the occupied land)  Saw a few trucks of Israeli soldiers, after a while they shot twice as warnings but Alhamdulillah we were already near the bus at that time. After which we left to meet the Jabbari family and later that night will meet with PM Dr Ismail Haniyeh.

 solar light

I had to use the solar lamp that VPM contributed to families in Gaza to go to the toilet when the electricity got cut.

 welfare house

Visited the welfare houses to see the generator VPM donated and also to see Salam Society’s project which built houses for the displaced and homeless.

Generator at Palestine welfare house. They are proposing for USD6k per year for fuel.

Seen here with Engineer Jumuah, chairman of the Palestine Welfare House

 

 vitamin handed to Gaza

8 boxes of vitamins given to the clinic managed by the Palestine Welfare House

 women project

Handed over USD 20k to the Women’s Society. MasyaAllah amazing work they have done. Sabreen (my age) with 3 kids, yet she is running and coordinating our projects!


This USD20k was VPM’s pledge for the Seattle Marathon which Ramzy Baroud ran for.

 Discussion with women project

 Discussion time with the Women’s Society on the implementation of the various projects funded by VPM

 Hani Thuraya

 Visit to Darul Quran. Donations handed to Engineer Hany Thuraya the CEO of the organization

 

Seraj Al Doa'faa manages the micro financing projects for male. Out of 47 projects, only 13 approved; the balance is either KIV or rejected...some are due to shortage of funds. 

 

 girls night out

Time-out after a long day. With the Girls on our night out !

 

 school school4

Sunday – visit school projects and Salam Society houses

Just finished touring 11schools (I’m not even kidding). Alhamdulillah so tired, guide and project manager so tired need for VPM to treat us to spa massage 2 hrs when we return to KL!!

 

 school2

First school we went those  posters are the important dates in Palestine

  mural school mural school2

Loving these murals painted on the school walls – could be used as designs for VPM t-shirt

 

 kids art kids art2

Music& arts for peace w the kids

 President IUG

Met President of Islamic University of Gaza

salam houseAt one of our house project by Salam Society. The wife said, "we have been upgraded from grave to a palace - thank you Viva Palestina"