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Tulkarm & Fundraising Dinner

 

After the construction of the Israeli Wall in Palestine, the Palestinian people, especially farmers, have found themselves in a very difficult situation: landless and without jobs and no source of income. Life is getting harder by the day. So during one of the visits of Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, some of the women in the village of Tulkarm asked for help to open a bakery to bake bread for the villagers and to provide jobs for some of the farming families.

Palestinians for Peace and Democracy usually does not take on humanitarian projects. We see our mission as to educate the public of the Palestinian cause and to tell the story of the Palestinian people. Due to the enormous need and the economic hardship, the Palestinian for Peace and Democracy chapter in Houston decided to take on the responsibility for the project. So, they organized a fundraising dinner in February, 2005 and it was attended by several hundred people. Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was the keynote speaker. More than $15,000 was raised and was hand-delivered with the Women's Peace Delegation to Palestine. We thank the Arab and Palestinian community in Houston for their generous support, and we will keep you updated with the progress of the Project.


His Excellency Omar Elfarouk Hassan, Consul General of Egypt (left) chats with keynote speaker Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi.

Arun Gandhi speaking at the fundraising dinner

(from left) Kara Lopez, Sahar Abusada and Ann Helmke giving a presentation about the bakery project and reality on the ground

Attendees at the fundraising dinner

Palestinian traditional dance and "dabka"

The bakery opened on March 8, 2005 in celebration of International Women's Day. It is the first bakery ever in Palestine to be owned and operated by women. The name of thebakery is Al-Kafryet Women's bakery. The bakery is located at the intersection of seven villages in the city of Tulkarm. It will employ 20 women and provides economic development for these villages. Al-Karyet only bakes bread at this time, but their hope is to also make pastries within the next six months. The opening of the bakery was attended by the Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs.

Grand opening of Al-Kafryet Women's bakery

Women bakers with Sahar Abusada, who organized the Houston fundraiser