Maia Project: Clean Water for Children in Gaza

We are excited to announce the completion of a new water purification unit in Beit Hanoun, Gaza. This unit is located in Shams Al-Ibdaa kindergarten with 150 children attending daily. In addition to the children benefiting from the unit, we provided the families in the neighborhood with a water jug so they can easily come and fill up safe, clean water to drink at home for free.

The unit is powered by solar panels which also provide electricity for the kindergarten. In Gaza, most areas only receive electricity 6-8 hours per day due to the ongoing Israeli occupation and blockade.

Thanks so much for your support of the Maia Project and bringing safe, clean water to Palestinian children in Gaza!

We've had a very busy few months for the Maia Project. We completed repairs and maintenance on all the units and also organized water education workshops and volunteer painting days about water rights in several schools so children understand more about the water crisis and why these water purification units installed by the Maia Project are so critical to their health.

We are also working on installing 5 new water pufiication units in 4 large schools and one kindergarten in Gaza. 

Altogher, more than 115,000 children have access to safe, clean water each and every day thanks to your support!

After many months of delays due to a lack of parts in Gaza, we have just completed a new water purification and desalination unit in Al-Fukhari village! The local community requested a unit because they live in a remote area and it's difficult for them to access safe, clean drinking water. They donated the space for the water purifcation unit which is centrally located near many homes. A second new unit is under contstruction in Khuza'a village where we have just built a new community playground and sports field. This unit will provide clean water to children and families at the park and also the local neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Ghada, the Maia Project coordinator, is busy doing site visits to schools in Gaza with our water purification units. She is working hard to find the parts needed for any repairs and maintenance but the ongoing Israeli occupation and siege is a huge obstacle. We will update you soon on the number of children benefiting from the Maia Project in Gaza now that all schools are open.

The Maia Project continues to provide clean drinking water to thousands of children in Gaza thanks to your support.

Last month, Ghada, the Maia Project Coordinator, visited a newly installed unit in Al Saqia village and spoke to some of the estimated 200 families benefiting from access to safe, clean drinking water. Here is some of their feedback about the project and the new unit funded by Humanity 4 Palestine and friends in Seattle, Washington.

"We used to fill the tank at our house weekly and we paid 20 shekels [approximately $6]. Moreover the tanker water is not clean like the water coming direct from the Maia unit. thank for Meca and doners to help us"
- Soma, housewife and mother, 35 years old

"The water tanker [truck] is too big and we have a lot of kids here. They always play in the street becuse we didn't have a safe area and our homes are too small. Now we avoid the danger of the water tanker. From my perspective as an old man this is the most important point to save our kids lives. "
- Abu Khaled (literally "Khaled's father, this is a common form of nicknames for Palestinians), farmer, 69 years old

"Every day I help my mom by put the bottles to the basket and fill them from the unit,my father added wheels to the basket and make it as trolly to help me bring the water to our home. I love MECA to give us fresh water"
- Ahmed, student, 9 years old

Though schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Gaza, the Maia Project units continue to provide clean water to children and families when they come to school every other day to pick up worksheets and assignments. Some of the units are open daily to families in the neighborhood.