Gaza - UNICEF effort to help clean up the garbage and human waste : Dawn Clancey / PassBlue / John Gilmartin

“Oh, that must be so rewarding!” a frequent response when being introduced as a Unicef staff “The first thing that comes to mind is shit.” staff on Gaza site clearing."
John Gilmartin

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Summary:

Over 2 million Palestinians have been displaced internally and are sheltering in overcrowded facilities with inadequate sanitation systems. This has led to raw sewage overflowing in the streets and a lack of clean drinking water.

To help the situation UNICEF started a cash for work project on Jan. 11. The project is slated to last three months. Workers will be paid through a monitored electronic payment system used by the World Health Organization (WHO) every 10 days, or roughly three times a month. The $2 million project is funded by the Australian committee for Unicef for humanitarian assistance in West Bank and Gaza.

Jonathan Crickx

Jonathan Crickx, Unicef’s chief of communications in Palestine, said the plan was an offshoot of the agency’s humanitarian cash-assistance program, where families are given money to buy food, water and hygiene products in crises.  Clean up efforts are severely hampered by import restrictions on fuel and equipment.