News
June 28, 2011

AMP media director meets with UNRWA official in Hebron district; tours area

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AMP media director meets with UNRWA official in Hebron
(CHICAGO 06/27/2011) – Kristin Szremski, the director of media and communications for the American Muslims for Palestine, recently returned from her second trip to Palestine, where she met with an official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to discuss anti-poverty measures in the West Bank.
Muwaffaq Noufal, director of UNRWA’s Hebron Microfinance Department’s regional Hebron office, and his staff accompanied Ms. Szremski on an extensive, day-long tour of small villages surrounding Hebron, where she visited people who have benefited from small loans geared specifically to women. The purpose of the loans is to empower women to add to the financial stability of their families by enabling them to create small, home-based businesses.  For the past two decades, microfinancing has proven an effective way to help raise the standard of living of the poorest of the world’s poor, studies have shown.
Contrary to media reports, the economy in the West Bank is floundering. A new study by UNRWA shows that West Bank unemployment grew much faster than employment in the last half of 2010, and the purchasing power of the average working wage continued to decline. For refugees, the situation is even more dire.
Ms. Szremski currently is conducting research for an article on successful anti-poverty measures in the West Bank.
“The women I met while touring the countryside with Mr. Noufal are hugely inspirational,” Ms. Szremski said. “Despite living under occupation, these women do not think of themselves as victims. Instead, they’ve come up with constructive plans to alleviate the poverty in which they live. They embody the Palestinian spirit of hope, dignity and fortitude.
“And UNRWA, again, has shown itself to be open and transparent in its programs. From my first meeting last year with UNRWA Director Filippo Grandi to the recent tour of Hebron, officials associated with UNRWA have been helpful in providing resources and information.”

(CHICAGO 06/28/2011) – Kristin Szremski, the director of media and communications for the American Muslims for Palestine, recently returned from her second trip to Palestine, where she met with an official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to discuss anti-poverty measures in the West Bank.

Muwaffaq Noufal, director of UNRWA’s Hebron Microfinance Department’s regional Hebron office, and his staff accompanied Ms. Szremski on an extensive, day-long tour of small villages surrounding Hebron, where she visited people who have benefited from small loans geared specifically to women. The purpose of the loans is to empower women to add to the financial stability of their families by enabling them to create small, home-based businesses.  For the past two decades, microfinancing has proven an effective way to help raise the standard of living of the poorest of the world’s poor, studies have shown.  

(CHICAGO 06/28/2011) – Kristin Szremski, the director of media and communications for the American Muslims for Palestine, recently returned from her second trip to Palestine, where she met with an official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to discuss anti-poverty measures in the West Bank.

Muwaffaq Noufal, director of UNRWA’s Hebron Microfinance Department’s regional Hebron office, and his staff accompanied Ms. Szremski on an extensive, day-long tour of small villages surrounding Hebron, where she visited people who have benefited from small loans geared specifically to women. The purpose of the loans is to empower women to add to the financial stability of their families by enabling them to create small, home-based businesses.  For the past two decades, microfinancing has proven an effective way to help raise the standard of living of the poorest of the world’s poor, studies have shown.  

Contrary to media reports, the economy in the West Bank is floundering. A new study by UNRWA shows that West Bank unemployment grew much faster than employment in the last half of 2010, and the purchasing power of the average working wage continued to decline. For refugees, the situation is even more dire.

Ms. Szremski currently is conducting research for an article on successful anti-poverty measures in the West Bank.

 “The women I met while touring the countryside with Mr. Noufal are hugely inspirational,” Ms. Szremski said. “Despite living under occupation, these women do not think of themselves as victims. Instead, they’ve come up with constructive plans to alleviate the poverty in which they live. They embody the Palestinian spirit of hope, dignity and fortitude.

“And UNRWA, again, has shown itself to be open and transparent in its programs. From my first meeting last year with UNRWA Director Filippo Grandi to the recent tour of Hebron, officials associated with UNRWA have been helpful in providing resources and information.” 

 

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