7 March 2012
Beirut, Lebanon
Palestine refugee children in Lebanon will have more space for learning this year, thanks to a USD 546,259 donation from the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC). The voluntary contribution from the Swiss government to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has built nine new classrooms, a playground, and a cafeteria at Ein Al Assal school in the Rashidieh refugee camp.
At the opening ceremony for the school’s expanded facilities, Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon Her Excellency Ruth Flint said, “The SDC piloted this model with UNRWA to set an example and to trigger interest from other donors, so that other camps can enjoy such facilities.”
Also attending the inauguration were the Head of SDC Lebanon Mrs. Heba Hage Felder, Mr. Ibrahim Abou Khalil representing the President of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, a representative of the Embassy of Palestine in Lebanon, and Salvatore Lombardo, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, as well as representatives of the Palestinian community.
“Having a healthier environment is key to quality education,” Lombardo said. “Thanks to this generous contribution from the SDC, this will now be available to these students. This donation also shows Switzerland’s longstanding and firm commitment to Palestine refugees in Lebanon.”
In addition to the school expansion, the SDC funded a new water project worth USD 2.62 million to will enable UNRWA to provide a network of clean drinking water for 70,000 Palestine refugees residing in seven camps throughout Lebanon. The SDC also funds three employment service centres in Lebanon to boost employment prospects for refugees.
Background information
UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for nearly five million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, pending a solution to their plight. The Agency’s services encompass education, health care, social safety-net, camp infrastructure and improvement, community support, microfinance and emergency response, including in times of armed conflict.
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For further information please contact Hoda Samra, UNRWA Public information officer in Lebanon: +961-70-010129 fax: +961-1-840468 or by e-mail: h.samra@unrwa.org
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