Projects - Hafsa

HAFSA projects in Sabastiya

Donations to HAFSA have enabled us to organise and implement countless projects in Sabastiya. From vital training on the use of gas masks, to wellbeing projects including organising a football coach to work with the local team. Learn more about highlights of our work here!

Ramadan food parcels

Over a number of years we have purchased food parcels for needy families during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in addition to providing a small number of clothes vouchers for children with disabilities or learning difficulties.

Gas masks and first aid training

Frequent military incursions into the village by the Israeli army bring the danger of tear gas being fired, suffocating villagers and having a dangerous effect on elderly and vulnerable people. We have supported the purchase of gas masks for villagers living close to the archeological site, where clashes take place, and helped to train young people to provide first aid in the event of an emergency.

Hens and eggs project

Our members supported the purchase of hens for families in Sabastiya, which helped to re-introduce the tradition of keeping of hens in the village.

This project was a huge success and continues to provide a source of eggs for families and for sale in local shops.

HAFSA friends helping in Sabastiya

One of our founding members went to Sabastiya to run an ‘English for tourism’ course, to help local people better communicate and cater for tourists. Three participants now work in the tourist sector, using the skills learned on the course. Other members have travelled to Sabastiya to help in the guesthouse , the Sabastiya nursery and with after-school activites in the local library

Village enhancements

One of our members funded the cleaning of the village cemetery and the planting of 100 trees and shrubs to provide shade and to beautify the area.

Another member bought litter-pickers and helped young people to clean the streets of the village.

Football training

We sent a coach to train the Sabastiya youth team for a month and we bought some equipment for them. This project was very popular and improved the confidence of the team, and the results still trickle down today! One of the students, Youssef, represented Palestine in the “free football” competition in the Czech Republic

Village volunteers teams

We supported the creation of a volunteer team of young people to work with the municipal council and bought equipment for them to use, such as wheel barrows, picks and shovels etc.

Al Kayed Palace Guesthouse

One of our very first projects was to encourage the Women’s Union who manages the Al Kayed Palace (an old Ottoman palace) to start running the guest house that was set up in the building with the help of funds from Sweden.

Olive trees

We raised funds in Autumn 2012 to buy 500 olive trees for families in Sabastiya. Olive trees – the symbol of Palestine – are vital for subsistence and support the livelihood of over 100,000 families across the country. These trees are now bearing fruit and we hope they have a long and fruitful life!

Join Us ألانضمام لنا

For as little as a £10 donation you can become a friend of HAFSA.

By making a donation to Hafsa, you will be supporting our projects which help the village and give the people of Sabastiya some hope for the future.

By joining you get information about our activities and plans, you can participate in our events or visits to Sabastiya and will get an invite to our Annual General Meeting (AGM), during which you can help to elect (or become part of!) the management committee.