Further Collaboration with the Ministry of Education to serve Children

As part of its strategy to strengthen relationships with partners, World Vision Jerusalem – West Bank – Gaza (JWG) met with the Minister of Education, Professor Marwan Awartani, on 4 November 2020 to discuss their ongoing, joint work with schools in the West Bank where World Vision JWG operates.

Both parties agreed to work together to support 60 additional schools with protective supplies to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discussed the benefits that will go to 50 schools amid a new grant World Vision has signed with EU, in partnership with War Child and other partners. This grant aims to enhance school safety in emergencies in terms of school safety plans, WASH, infrastructure and COVID-19 considerations. Both partners discussed the continued work they do to address violence in schools in the hopes of eliminating it and to enhance the education and life skills of students.

During the meeting, Lauren Taylor, World Vision JWG’s National Director, provided the Minister with essential data on the organization’s overall work with schools from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020, including its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with school staff, World Vision JWG provided schools with more than $980,000 in protection materials and the renovation of water and hygiene facilities.  It opened 10 new kindergartens with the ministry and supported schools with 22 solar panels. It also provided over one million dollars in school activities.

Minister Awartani affirmed this partnership and stressed the need to continue to unite efforts to create a safe, enabling, and caring environment for all children in schools. Mrs. Taylor expressed her happiness at meeting Prof. Awartani and World Vision’s gratitude for the partnership it has with the Ministry as well as in the work they do together. Both parties committed to even greater collaboration to serve Palestinian children as much as possible.

The partnership between World Vision JWG and the Palestinian Ministry of Education and its schools goes back more than 20 years to help vulnerable children have a better future and more nurtured life.