(Case study 017) Community based health worker holds a practical training session. The exercise seen being performed helps to reduce spasticity if practiced frequently. © Medical Aid for Palestinians
The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation gave a grant of £30,000 in 2007/08.
The Gaza Strip is home to 1.5 million people. At the moment 4 out of 5 families live off food assistance. Last year the economic growth was 0%. Medical Aid for Palestinian’s work there at the moment is crucial. The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation’s support is helping us to implement two important parts of our programme in the Gaza Strip. Firstly emergency preparedness; funds have helped to purchase one surgical kit, to treat 100 seriously wounded patients. This allows MAP to respond quickly at a time of crisis to deliver key medical drugs, disposables and bandages to frontline health workers.
Secondly, the Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation is helping us to support a community based project run by Ameera, a local grassroots partner organisation in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. This project aims to empower and build the competence and capacity of mothers to support their children with disabilities. For the vast majority of women this is the first time that they have had the opportunity to meet regularly with other mothers to discuss and exchange experiences. In addition to peer support and friendship between the mothers, the women also gain skills from group sessions and home visits run by a team of physiotherapists and speech therapists. The project has been so well received that greater numbers of mothers are registering to join the programme each week. One of the mothers recently summed up the project by saying "this project teaches us to help our kids. It gives us hope for our children’s future."
Visit the Medical Aid for Palestinians website.