Background Information

Bethlehem is suffering from a chronic state of emergency, and now the war between Israel and Hamas has worsened the socio-economic crisis. There is no assistance for unemployment, retirement, or an accessible public health system for the most vulnerable.

The Antonian Society of Bethlehem nursing home accommodates 36 people, all of them women, who are sick and alone without the means to afford their care. Here, they receive medical assistance to compensate for the lack of a Palestinian national health and welfare system. A day center service, the Social Club, is also offered where elderly men and women in isolation and loneliness gather in the mornings to participate in various recreational activities, access physiotherapy services, and have lunch.

Furthermore, due to the growing need to support this marginalized population, a community kitchen was set up in the day center, open to anyone in need. The number of residents has slightly decreased in recent months, but the need for activities and the community kitchen for non-residents is significant, and the Antonian Society currently does not have the capacity to meet all the requests. This project will allow access to these services for a larger number of beneficiaries from the local community.

Target population

(women and men).

Duration

Budget