6 March 2013
Gaza
Fifty hearing aids have been distributed to young hearing- impaired Palestine refugees at a specialized centre in Gaza thanks to the Royal Charity Organization of Bahrain (RCO).
The Deir Al Balah Rehabilitation Centre is one of 37 community-based rehabilitation centres supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
Peter Ford, Representative of UNRWA's Commissioner General, said “these hearing aids will make a tremendous difference to the quality of life of many hearing-impaired refugees.
Struggling under the double burden of being refugees and having hearing-impaired children the families simply cannot afford hearing aids. UNRWA and the recipients are extremely grateful to His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifah, Chairman of the Board of the RCO, and the RCO itself for their continued support in Gaza, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation throughout 2013. ”
Since 2009, the Royal Charity Organisation has also supported Gaza refugees through funding the construction of a health centre, a school, additional classrooms and a library, as well as provision of food.
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Background information
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.
Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund (GF), supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently, the deficit stands at USD 71 million.
For more information, please contact:
Chris Gunness
UNRWA Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org
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Sami Mshasha
UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org
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