MoE, USAID and Anera Celebrate an Improved and Expanded School in Hatta
September 30, 2016 | Hatta, Hebron Governorate – Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and its implementing partner Anera gathered to celebrate the inauguration of the newly renovated school building in Hatta. The ceremony was attended by Hebron Deputy Governor Marwan Sultan, Director General of Buildings for the MoEHE Eng. Fakhri Safadi, Head of the MoEHE Directorate in Hebron Mohammed Froukh, Hatta Head of VC Salim Samaheen, Representative of U.S State of Department Todd Holmstrom, USAID West Bank and Gaza Acting Mission Director Jonathan Kamin, and Anera Country Director Paul Butler.
USAID invested nearly $770,000 to renovate the existing school building and construct two additional floors. The school can now accommodate up to 260 students, and features a new pre-school, five additional classrooms, computer and science labs, a library, handicap-accessible facilities, a playground, and solar panels to make the school more energy efficient. The MoEHE approved a plan to gradually add two more grades, enabling students to continue their studies locally up to the eighth grade. This allows girls to continue their studies instead of dropping out.
Creating just over 350 short term jobs for Palestinian workers, this intervention was completed under the Palestinian Community Infrastructure Development (PCID) Program – funded by USAID and implemented by Anera. The program aims to increase Palestinians’ access to water and sanitation as well as other small and medium scale community infrastructure needs in the health, democracy and governance, and education sectors in the West Bank and Gaza.
Since 2000, USAID has built 3,106 classrooms and renovated 1,255 classrooms. As a result of such activities, 200,000 students study in classrooms built or renovated by USAID. In addition, this project generated more than 350 short term jobs.
The U.S. Government, through USAID, is the leading provider of bilateral development assistance to the Palestinians, having provided more than $4.6 billion since 1994 for programs in the areas of democracy and governance; education; health and humanitarian assistance; private enterprise; and water resources and infrastructure.
For more information:
Leila Rafei
Media Relations Officer
202 266 9719
[email protected]
About Anera
Since 1968, Anera has been a leading provider of development, health, education, and employment programs to vulnerable communities and impoverished families throughout the Middle East. Anera reaches the regions most vulnerable people with health, education and economic development programs and provides humanitarian and emergency relief in times of crisis. In 2016, the relief and development agency delivered over $57 million in programs to people in Lebanon and Palestine.