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Welcome |
FONSA newsletter October 2011News here of successful recent FONSA projects in and around Nablus. Many of us have been involved over the summer with Palestinians who have come to the UK in friendship. They have been great ambassadors for Palestine, giving first-hand accounts of the current difficulties. The illegal Jewish settlers have become more violent yet most Palestinians continue with non-violent popular resistance. One example is the Palestinian bid for recognition by the UN as a state, but there are also weekly protests at settlements and against the separation barrier. FONSA promotes a peaceful approach to Palestinian human rights; every donation is a statement recognising the need for self-determination and justice.
Mike Whitehead
Newsletter 6 on our website. |
Events in November |
The four musicians from Nablus FONSA will be hosting 4 musicians from the An Najah National University in Nablus. They will be playing in London and Dundee during November to raise money for projects in and around Nablus. We hope you will be able to join us at one or other event. Sing Palestine - in London - 18th November 2011with An Najah Musicians and Leon Rosselson
An evening of music from and about Palestine.
Music and Art from Nablus - in DundeeOn or about Tuesday 22nd November 2011 - details to followThis event is being planned and further details will be available soon. |
Recent Activities |
Madama schoolsSeptember 2011
The Head Teacher shows Jean the new classroom under construction earlier this year at Madama Boys' School Funded by Friends of Madama & Burin and FONSA More school places are needed as the Palestinian population is growing. It is often difficult to build new schools or expand existing ones because of cost and other constraints. Thanks to generous support from the UK Friends of Madama & Burin, FONSA has been able to help. We provided an extra classroom for Madama Boys School and equipment for Madama Girls School. The new school year has started and at Madama Boys School, with 210 boys from 6 to 15 years old, the new classrooms are in full use. The head teacher of Madama Boys School told FONSA “The people of the village are aware of the classroom project and praised them very much. They hope to have a better environment for their children to learn in”. Peter Liddell, co-ordinator of Friends of Madama said “A great big thanks to FONSA for implementing this project. It couldn't have happened without the experience and skills of your trustees”.
Setting up the new LCD projector at Madama Girls' School. Funded by Friends of Madama & Burin and FONSA Madama Girls School has 330 pupils (also 6-15 years old) and asked for some much-needed IT equipment The head teacher told us “The equipment has already made a good contribution to the improvement of the learning process in our school. Through the teaching aids such as the scanner and the LCD monitor, teachers consider it easier to explain lessons and handle information to the pupils, and the pupils themselves find it more enjoyable and interesting to learn”. Madama is a small village of about 1,930 people. It lies south of Nablus and is dominated by the settlement of Yizhar on the hill to its south. And to the north, just beyond the Palestinian village of Burin, lies the Har Bracha settlement. FONSA has also planted trees in Madama village. We had a very joyous reception from the young people there when we asked them to help us with the planting. We had to be careful on the more remote areas closer to the settlement. Only the older villagers helped and we could plant just a token number of trees with the rest planted in safer areas closer to the village. |
Yatma clinicSeptember 2011
FONSA surfaced these steps and provided handrails so this building could become the new clinic for Yatma village Hastings Friends of Yatma approached us to help with their desire to assist the people of Yatma village. The old clinic was dilapidated and although a new building had been funded it was incomplete. So they were keen for FONSA to help bring it into service as a clinic. Using money raised by Hastings Friends of Yatma we were able to make a valuable difference. The work required completion of the steps and providing a safety handrail on either side. Naturally the villagers of Yatma are very pleased that they have safe access into their improved new clinic. We have also provided an internet connection for Yatma Women's Association which they need to provide much needed access to information and friends. FONSA also planted 300 olive trees in Yatma. Ros Meadow from Hastings Friends of Yatma said “we are immensely grateful for your continued support with organising and helping implement our projects, as well as fund sharing in others. We couldn't have done it without you.”. The village is sited quite a long way from Nablus but very close to the settlements of Kfar Tappuah and Rechelim. Recently you might have heard that settlers have attacked the mosque in Yatma – scrawling abusive graffiti on its walls. Settlers also stone Palestinian vehicles in the area. |
Fundraising |
Dundee Cyclathon 2011Raising money for FONSA
26 miles raising over £400 for FONSA We hope others will do sponsored events or other fundraising activities to benefit FONSA. If you can help us, please see our sponsorship page at www.fonsa.org.uk/sponsorship or phone Nehad on 07759 734 011. |
Christmas Gifts |
Olive and Fruit Tree Gift Certificates - for ChristmasOnly so many shopping days left ...
Fruit tree gift certificate
Olive tree gift certificate
Please remember our campaign to “Give an Olive Tree for Christmas”
when you are drawing up your present lists.
These give a practical boost to the lives of farmers and families in the villages in and around Nablus.
You send us the donation and we return an attractive gift certificate.
You can choose olive trees (£4 each) or fruit trees (£2 each) plus £1 for each certificate you want
(each certificate is for just one type of tree).
Please phone 07759 734 011
Please send cheques and orders to: FONSA trees
Or you can donate on-line (with a debit or credit card) at the FONSA page on Virgin Money Giving and email info@fonsa.org.uk with the details of your order. If you have any queries, please phone Nehad on 07759 734 011. Please remember to tick the "Gift Aid" box if you are an eligible UK taxpayer. It gives us an additional 25% income at no cost to you. |
Fundraising CD:
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Online presence |
The FONSA pageYou can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Friends.of.Nablus |
We are tweeting
You can follow us as |
www.fonsa.org.ukFurther updatesWe have updated some of the pages on the web site in preparation for transferring to an improved website as soon as we can. |
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Friends of Nablus and Surrounding Areas (known as FONSA)
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