Help Syrian Refugees Heal in Gaza
After meeting a young disabled Syrian refugee in Gaza, Rebuilding Alliance not only connected him with a physical therapist, our team provided Syrian refugees with a two-month internship and job training. Now seeking investment to help them start their own businesses.
Rebuilding Alliance first learned of the plight of Syrian refugees in Gaza when our NGO partner, Youth Vision Society, met a young Syrian boy named Owis. Owis needed specialized medical care, but as Syrians, his family and others like them, are really struggling.
Many of the Syrian refugees are of Palestinian origin who fled for Syria with their families during Israel’s 1967 war. They grew up in Syria, were college educated, and had a decent life until the Syrian civil war broke out. When Syrian jets bombed their homes, many had relatives in Gaza who encouraged them to return, and so they made the arduous journey to the Gaza Strip. By the time Syrian refugees reached the Gaza Strip, they have already walked across Lebanon and flown to Egypt to get there. Some even died in the bombings of Gaza.
In Gaza, however, they found an economy devastated by the blockade and then the cut of all United States aid. Some were even killed during Israel’s bombings of Gaza. Gaza unemployment is at over 50% and the refugees often don’t have the necessary documentation and find it almost impossible to find a job and become a self-sufficient, contributing member of the community. Syrian refugees in Gaza are an overlooked population and many are going hungry.
As one refugee said, “We felt we represented a burden, and we are really left behind.”
Working with Youth Vision Society, Rebuilding Alliance funded a grant that targeted 32 college-educated candidates (80% women) to go through a job-training program that included resumé-writing, job interview role play, time management skills, and placement in a two-month internship with host Non-Governmental Organizations.
For one refugee, Ahmed, this project helped him find a job. The proprietor where he interned was so happy with his work that he offered Ahmed a permanent job. While many others don’t have the proper papers to be hired, we saw an opportunity for them to start their own businesses, particularly in the COVID relief food-aid sector. More to come on the result.
This Rebuilding Alliance grant also allows Owis to receive the physical therapy he needed. It was because of him that Rebuilding Alliance became involved with the Syrian refugee community in Gaza and why this project was started.
Location: Gaza Strip
Project Partner: Youth Vision Society