Jerusalem, August 8, 2022 – The NGO Development Center (NDC) and the World Bank signed a Grant Agreement on July 21, 2022 to fund the Gaza Emergency Support for Social Services Project that aims to provide social services, short-term cash for services, and on-line self-employment opportunities to the most vulnerable population in Gaza.
This new Project aims to respond to the immediate needs arising from the emergency in Gaza and builds on the successful performance of the recently completed Gaza Emergency Cash for Work and Self-Employment Support Project implemented by NDC and the overachievement of high impacts and results with significant spillover effects, including the empowerment of women through the enhancement of their professional skills.
The Gaza Emergency Support for Social Services project will provide mental health, psychosocial support services (MHPSS) and other relevant health services, and bridge employment gaps through providing currently unemployed people and recent graduates of related university programs with income and employment opportunities to work in NGOs whilst providing these NGOs with the necessary staff to deliver MHPSS services to the target population. The Project, in addition, presents a rare opportunity for job creation in Gaza and a unique opportunity for young people to engage in e-work and, in some cases, even start their own e-business.
“This project plays a crucial role in addressing both the psychosocial needs as well as the unemployment crisis in Gaza, both of which have only worsened since the COVID-19 outbreak and the escalation in May 2021. NDC is proud to act as the Implementation Agency for the project as it aligns perfectly with our mission to support the NGO sector in Palestine and contribute to the realization of an independent, vital, and resilient Palestinian NGO sector” said Ghassan Kasabreh, NDC’s Director.
The project will provide grants to selected NGOs to hire individuals who have been unemployed for at least one year. About 1,000 targeted individuals, half of them women, will be hired by NGOs to deliver MHPSS to communities affected by the recurrent outbreaks of violence in Gaza, including the May 2021 conflict. The project will also provide selected not-for-profit organizations with grants to train an additional 400 unemployed youth in the skills needed to become online freelancers.
An Advisory Committee consisting of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Empowerment, and NDC will provide strategic guidance for the implementation of the project and its alignment with the national priorities.
“Our commitment to our relationship with the government ensures that we are always operating from a place of complementarity. Both our coordination with the government and alignment with the National Development Strategy and Sector Strategies have helped us to strengthen our work and have the support of the relevant government agencies and civil society at large” said Zahi Khouri, Chairman of the NDC Board of Directors.
ABOUT
The NGO Development Center (NDC) is a non-profit organization established in response to the need for a sustainable local mechanism that works to provide support to the Palestinian civil sector. NDC works to develop the capabilities of Palestinian NGOs in their provision of quality services, especially for poor and marginalized communities. NDC works to enable partner NGOs to be more sustainable and self-reliant by providing them with financial and technical support.
For more information visit: https://www.ndc.ps/en
CONTACT:
Ghassan Kasabreh, NDC Director
NGO Development Center
Abu Sbieh Bldg., Ramallah, Jerusalem Rd.
Al-Ram, Jerusalem
PO Box 2173
Ramallah, Palestine.
Tel: +970 2 234 7771-4