Gaza

The Gaza Strip in Palestine is home to 1.4 million people. The ongoing conflict and strangling economic conditions has led to a humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions. More than 70 percent of the population is living in poverty and currently relies on international aid to provide for basic food and shelter. JumpStart International began working in Gaza in January 2006 and ended operations in June 2007. In 18 months, JumpStart’s programs generated short term, emergency employment opportunities for hundreds of Palestinians and provided much needed additional vocational education facilities. Although smaller in scale, JumpStart programs provided relief for families from crippling economic conditions but more importantly, hope for a better future.

Emergency Employment Program

Through small, labor-intensive projects, JumpStart International created over 10,000 job opportunity days for over 200 laborers. These projects involved cleanup, clearance, restoration of road services and the renovation of the Erez Terminal border crossing. Lasting on average 60 days, these projects provided short-term economic relief to families of chronically unemployed heads of household. Projects were completed in three cities in the Gaza Strip: Beit Lehiya, Beit Hanoun and Rafah. The update links on the left will provide you a chronological look at these dramatic projects.

Gaza Polytechnic Institute Site Restoration & Construction Program

Quality technical education can be the promise of a better future for many Palestinians. In early 2006, JumpStart International was allocated approximately 30 acres of land outside Khan Younis to develop a vocational/technical education institute. JumpStart partnered with the Community College of Applied Science and Technology to develop the Gaza Polytechnic Institute (CCAST). CCAST was selected as our education partner due to their history of quality technical education in Gaza. CCAST’s Gaza City campus was over capacity and they desperately needed space to provide students with more advanced lab space.

JumpStart prepared the site, constructed the perimeter wall and renovated four buildings that were formerly an Israeli settlement school. The buildings had been stripped and looted with only walls and the roofs remaining. The renovation created more than 4,300 job opportunity days for contractors and injected hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy. The facility provides CCAST 2,570 sq. meters of classrooms for approximately 300 students, and includes computer labs, multi-purpose space, and a cafeteria, library and administrative offices for the campus. The first classes on the new campus were held in September 2007.

CCAST will continue to build out the site to create a world-class vocational educational facility. The first new building slated for construction is an autotronics building which will additional classroom and laboratory facilities to accommodate another 1,200 students. Construction of additional buildings will be determined in partnership with local organizations and funders.