Gaza city- IRADA program paid financial incentives for 50 people with disability who were trained, and employed through a project entitled “Youth Employment Generation”. The project is implemented with OPEC funding, UNDP supervision, and cooperation with the Palestinian Labor Ministry.

Mr. Tareq El habbash, the project coordinator said that the main aim of the project is to contribute in achieving the economic and social empowerment of people with disability in Gaza strip. The first phase of the project was the training in 5 vocations including: carpentry, furniture painting, furniture upholstery, wood carving, and aluminum products manufacturing, and now; the second phase is implemented which is the employment.

From their side the beneficiaries expressed their happiness. Faten Shaqfa, one of the trainees said: “I felt proud as I gained this money through my work, and now I can buy what I need”.

In addition, Tareq Mosa felt the same as Shaqfa, he said, “I will buy the medicine for my parents and my wife, also; I will pay part of my debits”.

Said Bu Azom who suffer from physical disability and have 7 children was very pleased with the financial incentive as he became able to buy milk and winter clothes for his kids.

While Israa El Awiti plan to use the money to buy raw material and make products, hoping this will be the first step for her work.

It is worth mentioning, IRADA program trained 835 people with disability during the period 2012-2016 in different academic and vocational fields to qualify them to the labor market, in addition to employment more than 500 of them, and supporting the equipping small workshops for another group.