Taawon and Belen 2000 signed a funding agreement for $500,000 through video conference meeting. The funding has been donated by the Palestinian diaspora in Chile to support the health sector in Palestine, and was matched by Taawon. Mrs. Yara Al-Salem; the Director General of Taawon, signed the agreement for Taawon, while Mr. Alexis Sfeir, the General Manager of Belen 2000 signed on behalf of Belen 2000, in presence of Mr. Salim Hodali; the Representative of Bank of Palestine in Chile, Mr. Kamel Hussieni, the Head of the International Relations Department at Bank of Palestine.
Mrs. Yara Al-Salem expressed her appreciation of the support provided by the Palestinian diaspora originally from the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahhour in Chile, pointing the importance of this funding to support the preparedness of the health sector, particularly the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network,and few hospitals in the Bethlehem District and in Gaza Strip. This fund will enable these hospitals to obtain the necessary equipment such as ventilators to support their readiness to receive and treat advanced Corona-infected cases. She also added, that Taawon is matching the fund from Belen 2000 to enable the hospitals to comprehensively prepare through the provision of preventive wear, disinfectants, hygiene items, and testing kits in accordance to the needs of each hospital.
Mr. Alexis Sfeir, the General Manager of Belen 2000 stated that it is the credibility of Taawon that has led Belen 2000 to renew its cooperation with Taawon through this second agreement, where the first was signed with Taawon in 2015 to support the European hospital during the 2015 aggression against Gaza. He assured the readiness of the Palestinian diaspora in Chile to support their homeland; Palestine.
Mr. Salim Hodali expressed his delight that the agreement has been finalized as it comes as part of the efforts exerted by Bank of Palestine in Chile and Palestine to support the health sector’s capacity to face the spread of Corona.
This agreement was signed as part of the “Palestine Calling” campaign launched by Taawon in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic and the need to quickly respond to the arising needs of the health sector including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the East Jerusalem Hospitals Netwok, and the health NGOs fighting the pandemic, in addition to supporting the humanitarian needs of marginalized families, and supporting NGOs that provide care for its residents of the elderly and orphans in West Bank and Gaza.