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

Posted in VPM

home welcome Dr 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
		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’.
					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.
						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.
		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.
		I had to use the solar lamp that VPM contributed to families in Gaza to go to the toilet when the electricity got cut.
		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
		8 boxes of vitamins given to the clinic managed by the Palestine Welfare House
		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 time with the Women’s Society on the implementation of the various projects funded by VPM
		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.
		Time-out after a long day. With the Girls on our night out !

				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!!
				First school we went those posters are the important dates in Palestine
							Loving these murals painted on the school walls – could be used as designs for VPM t-shirt
			Music& arts for peace w the kids
	Met President of Islamic University of Gaza

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

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