The assistance of the international community helped the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reduce the gap left by the United States halting its contribution, Matthias Schmale, the director of UNRWA in Gaza, told Sputnik.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2018) The assistance of the international community helped the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reduce the gap left by the United States halting its contribution, Matthias Schmale, the director of UNRWA in Gaza, told Sputnik.The United States said in late August that it would end all funding for the UNRWA, citing the organization's flaws as the reason for that.
"Now fortunately the international community has stepped in. After we lost $300 million in total from the United States, we have had 40 countries and institutions like the European Union step in and we mobilized a staggering $400 million Dollars, a bit more even. So our deficit that was $446 million when the United States announced its cuts is now $21 million. So it is an incredible effort by the international community," Schmale said.
The UN official stressed that the US cuts had nevertheless affected the work of the organization in Gaza.
"We lost all 90 million that we've got the previous year for food aid and community mental health work. We lost that completely from the United States ... The United States provided 90 million out of the 110 million. So we've had to significantly reduce the community mental health work. So that is a significant cut in service that is important," Schmale said.
The UNRWA Gaza director stressed that psychological damage was the "biggest damage" for the region's inhabitants.
"The psychological well-being of Gaza's population is very worrying. And for the future that needs to be part of what needs to be addressed," Schmale said.
The UN official added that his organization was working with 1.3 million refugees, who make up about 70 percent of Gaza's population.
"Poverty rates among this 1.3 million people [are] at 77 percent. So 1 million people live below the poverty line," Schmale said.
The UN official added that, due to the US funds' withdrawal, the organization had to reduce cash for work opportunities, programs that allow people in a difficult financial situation to earn some money quickly and legally.
"Now the focus is on the future. We run 275 schools in Gaza, 22 health centers and employ 13,000 people ... These schools are not a project that is now finished. There are 280,000 children for whom we must continue the education. So we will need an equally strong effort next year to find money and hopefully we will," Schmale said.
The UN official expressed hope that the international community would remain as involved as now.
