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Focus on Palestine Living under occupation and a constant threat of violence, Palestinians have been robbed of nearly every basic human right. Food insecurity; poor water quality; limited access to healthcare; lack of education opportunities; high unemployment; and restricted movement are only a few of the many problems the people of Palestine are forced to face in their daily lives. Gaza has been described as an “open-air prison.” Years of restrictions on movement coupled with blockades have left nearly 2 million residents stuck with little hope of bettering their lives. Reports conclude that Gaza will soon become “unlivable” if this continues. The conflict has also led to one of the biggest refugee crises our world has faced. More than 7 million Palestinians have been displaced. Our hope is to show the people of Palestine they have not been forgotten. Join us and support our brothers and sisters in their time of need. Project Spotlight Women Can 2.0 People supported: 1,424 Start date: September 2020 Close date: November 2022 The Women Can project helped empower female heads of household so that they may provide for their families. The project targeted 237 women along with their family members – some of which were from the West Bank while others were from Gaza. It was designed to help them start or develop their businesses, increase their income within one year of receiving support from donors like you, and help them feel more aware and confident of their social and economic power. With your investment in this effort, IRUSA was able to help empower Palestinian women. We Need YOUR Help As much as we’ve been able to accomplish, there is still so much more to do. If we work together—with YOU—we can make the vision of a better Palestine a reality for so many more of our sisters and brothers in need. $75 can help feed a family $250 can help improve access to clean and safe water $500 can provide vocational training for vulnerable communities PLEASE NOTE: Donations made to IRUSA’s Palestine fund may serve urgent or long-term programs for Palestinians and Palestinian refugees. Ikram’s Story Ikram is an architect from Gaza. “I had big dreams. I expected to obtain a well-paid job. It was easier back then for engineers to get into the job market,” she shared. The blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2007 has since changed the political and economic landscape. Over the course of a few years, she’s held too many temporary positions to count. As the main breadwinner and caretaker of her ill husband and three children, it’s difficult to make ends meet. Ikram is one of the many women that has benefited from the Women Can 2.0 project. Thanks to support from donors like you, Islamic Relief was able to help Ikram open her own retail shop for children’s toys and stationary. Her shop is thriving, she tells us. “We [have] food on the table, [pay rent], and [pay our debts].” Ikram’s confidence has also notably grown since taking on this project. “I hope my project [continues to grow]. It takes a lot of persistence and patience to find your way but there is always [a way].”