The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) is currently undertaking a number of health, educational, religious and developmental projects in the occupied Palestinian territories valued at Dh 53 million.
ERC Secretary-General, Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, emphasised the determination of the U.A.E. key relief agency to provide sustained assistance to the Palestinian people with the aim of supporting socio-economic development and easing their daily suffering.
He said the ERC was coordinating with the Palestinian Red Crescent, government bodies, non-governmental organisations, as well as with local municipalities and councils in the West Bank to implement these projects for the benefit of underprivileged Palestinians in Jerusalem, villages and refugee camps.
Rehabilitation of disabled persons, he added, had taken the lion's share of allocated funds at Dh 23 million. Education came second with Dh 20m, followed by Mosques with Dh 3.6m, health with Dh 3.5m while the remaining funds were channelled into soup kitchens projects.
Of the major projects were the Dh 21 million Emirates fund for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The three-year project is carried out via the Palestinian Social Affairs Ministry and will serve 519 disabled persons. The ERC also offered Dh 7.3m in support of the Birzeit University and Dh 2.2m for purchasing medicines for thalassemia patients.