Healthy Food for 400 Children in Bethlehem Village

The schools began early in Masara Village this year. Across the West Bank, schools began on August 23 and 24 but Um Hasan and the other women running this project started even earlier. They scrubbed and cleaned the cafeteria in preparation for another year of early mornings and hard work. Their dedication to preparing food for the 400 children attending school in their village is unwavering. 

I visited Masara last week on August 26. That day all of the schools in the West Bank had a moment of silence in solidarity with Gaza where children and families were still struggling under Israel's brutal military attack. (Thankfully a long-term ceasfire was announced that evening and schools are now set to start in Gaza in the coming weeks.) After the moment of silence, students streamed into the kitchen. Most days, the women pack up large boxes of the fresh food - a selection of all the items they made on that day - and walk them over to the kindergarten, elementary school and two high schools in the village. But due to the early release, the children came to the kitchen instead. 

First came a group of young boys from the elementary school. They eagerly grabbed the fresh muffins and chatted with the women. Then came some high school boys asking after the sfeeha (meat pies). Um Hasan promised to make some later in the week which led to some very big smiles. Several groups of high school girls came through. They took the muffins but asked about the manakeesh (zaatar pies). One of the women explained they didn't have time to make them today because of the early release but told them to come back tomorrow. 

Unfortunately, my photos of these smiling faces were lost when my computer crashed during the download but I will head back to Masara soon to get more photos to share with you. 

The women continue to work hard to prepare food for the children and are very thankful for your continued support which enables them provide healthy food to the children. This year we will cover the cafeteria rent, monthly purchases of food and cleaning supplies for the kitchen, small stipends for 4 of them women (Um Hassan insists on continuing as a volunteer as she has other sources of income from her organic farming), and we will finally get them the hot water heater which we postponed last year in order to provide water tanks in response to the growing water shortages.