Dream #1:
Rebuild Palestinian Neighborhoods in Area C
Unique Qualifications:
–The Rebuilding Alliance (TRA) built a kindergarten in 2003 in te village center of Al Aqaba in Area C of the West Bank. Our kindergarten has become a catalyst for other donor projects including the governments of Belgium, Norway and Japan, and 13 other UN agencies, embassies, and NGOs.
–A new birthing center is planned – with the help of Rotary Clubs in California, Nazareth Israel, and the new Rotary Club in Ramallah! The Nasheed music group Aashiq al-Rasul seeks to hold a big concert in Birmingham, Enland for this project!
–The Rebuilding Alliance helped Al Aqaba hire a lawyer to petition the Israeli High Court to lift demolition orders.
–Now, at Al Aqaba’s request, we’re exploring social venture financing in Silicon Valley, micro-mortgage financing (like Kiva, but for mortgages), or loans from the new Palestinian bank mortgage program as a way to launch this investment program.
Investment Required:
$58,000: to install a birthing center at the medical clinic including first ambulance in Area C, ultrasound, heart monitors, incubators, and medical training
$400,000: to build 20 eco-responsible homes in Al Aqaba
Dream #2:
Build 3 more playgrounds throughout the West Bank, in memory of Abir Aramin — and invoke the Leahy Law in the U.S. to make them safe
Unique Qualifications:
–Twice, we’ve brought Israeli and Palestinian Combatants for Peace for speaking tours throughout the U.S. to tell their important stories and raise funds to build playgrounds.
–The Rebuilding Alliance successfully completed construction of the first Abir’s Garden Playground at Abir’s school in Anata, East Jerusalem – with Israeli and Palestinian Combatants for Peace working on-site to do the building!
–In addition, the Rebuilding Alliance has worked quietly over the past 2 years, bringing the Aramin family, and then their Yesh Din lawyer, to testify at the State Department and meet with members of Congress. In February 2010, the Israeli High Court ruled in favor of the Aramin family – now the State of Israel will comply with the court and reopen the criminal investigation of her death.
–The Rebuilding Alliance continues quiet pressure to formally invoke the Leahy Ammendment in the U.S. We believe the Leahy process is one of the few U.S. tools that can assure due process overseas, change the procedures and attitudes of the Israeli Border Police, and communicate U.S. concern for the rights of Palestinian children to the Israeli Military.
Investment Required:
$30,000 to build two playgrounds
$400,000 for Leahy Amendment research, publication, outreach, and advocacy
**More news on this project coming soon
Dream #3: Build a Community Center at the Unity Club Soccer Field in Rafah, Gaza using eco-techniques
Unique Qualifications:
–Ongoing partnership with the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme began in 2003 with the rebuiding of the Nasrallah family home which Rachel Corrie sought to protect.
–Coordinated a 7-state speaking tour throughout the U.S. with the Nasrallahs and Cindy and Craig Corrie.
–Successfully completed the Nasrallah home despite the blockade.
–After Israel’s assault on Gaza, successfully installed a small portable office at the Unity Club Soccer Field in time for the Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament.
–Traveled to Doha during January 2010 to advise UNRWA-Gaza on their efforts to build using Compressed Earth Blocks.
–Founding members of the Gaza Community Development Working Group being established by the Qatar Science and Technology Center.
–Recently invited by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to visit Gaza to complete, together with Gaza Community Mental Health, a feasibility study for NGO-supervised reconstruction in Gaza
Investment Required: $250,000
Dream #4: Launch the ReStore to sell fair trade olive oil, cous cous, and zataar from Palestine
Unique Qualifications:
–An awesome volunteer leads our buisness team.
–Two years successful sales of premium organic, extra-virgin Palestinian olive oil (3 varieties) which sells out at Green Festivals and draws wonderful customers, volunteers, and mentors.
Investment Required:
$3,000 for the first 3 months rent at a wonderful new space we’ve found
$36,000 to staff-up and attract West Coast retail sales
Read our vision statement and proposal here.
Other investments:
- Help with our Rebuilding Alliance Store, creating cool tasting events at our courtyard and selling outstanding organic, fair trade products from Palestine each afternoon in Palo Alto.
- We seek a capacity grant to build our capacity at Rebuilding Alliance to 3 FTE staff, with reasonable salaries, health insurance, and retirement benefits.
- We want to expand our very successfull Rebuilding Peace Internship Program at the Rebuilding Alliance to include a team of 10 unpaid interns each semester under the supervision of a seasoned project manager. Consider endowing an internship with a $750/month recurring donation — or, if possible, endow our entire internship program.
- We dream of rebuilding whole neighborhoods and making them safe. If you would like to hear more, invest in our ideas, or join our planning team please email us at contact @ RebuildingAlliance.org
