Aiuto umanitario a Betlemme
Milan, ITALY
Target
Comunità cristiana e musulmana di Betlemme
Obiettivi
Offrire un sostegno economico diretto alla parrocchia di San Giuseppe per finanziare attività educative, ricreative e di supporto psicologico, garantendo loro un ambiente sicuro e accogliente
Partner
Parrocchia siro-cattolica di San Giuseppe a Betlemme
The project of humanitarian aid is born from the urgent need of support to the Christian and Muslim communities in Bethlehem, deeply affected by economic and social crises set off by the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The absence of pilgrims has supressed the tourism, main source of local income, while the closing of checkpoints has made impossible to work both in camps and beyond the walls, leaving many families without sustaining activities.
In this context, the Syrian-catholic parish of Saint Joseph, guided by Father Frédéric Yunan Masson, became a spiritual and material point of reference, especially for children and adolescents, the most vulnerable in the face of uncertainty and fear.
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The daily life of Bethlehem, a city living all year-long in the tension between the hope for Christmas and the reality of the war, is marked by the concret solidaritày: sharing of the bread, curing the children, praying together, discovering again simple gestures such as planting seeds or harvesting olives, signs of resilience and faith in the possibility of a better future. The church, place of refuge and encounters, is also a space for listening and accompanying to those who live the tragedy of loss, poverty and forced emigration.​
Activities of direct competences from Realmonte has been concentrated in the project on organising and managing fundraisings for the humanitarian aid intended to the communities of Bethlehem.
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Thanks to these resources, the Association has been able to support a significant amount of beneficiaries, contributing concretely to the payment of school costs for children and teenagers, the purchase of medicine (in a context where public health services are non-existent) and the purchase of essential goods, such as food and bills' payment.
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From January to March 2024, has been distributed 100 food packages for vulnerable families among the communities, a concrete support to cope with the food emergency worsened by the conflict. In paralel, 150 children has been helped in the payment of school fees and in the supply of school materials, allowing them to continue their education despite economic and social difficulties.