Donors

Sharek Youth Forum would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the numerous international and local donors for their dedication, generous support and contribution to the empowerment of Palestinian youth. The assistance of these donors is vital to the continuing success of Sharek Youth Forum and the implementation of its different programs, projects, campaigns, initiatives and activities throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Sharek would particularly like to thank the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation www.sdc.net.ps, which has supported Sharek's work since its inception as a project in 1996 by the UNDP/PAPP. After Sharek became an independent organization, the SDC supported the running of Sharek and the implementation of its three core programs Partners, Bridges and A Step Forward for the pilot year 2005/2006 with $322,000. The SDC also funded the "Participate in Elections" campaign surrounding the PLC elections of January 2006 with $40,000. Sharek is extremely pleased that the SDC in 2006 pledged its renewed support until the end of 2009 for Sharek and the core programs with a total amount of $1,262,000.

Sharek's other projects and activities have since 2005 been funded by the following donors:

  • United Nations Development Programme / Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP – www.undp.ps) – this UN agency, since launching Sharek as a project in 1996, has been providing the organization with various means of support, technical as well as financial and as a channel of funding for different donors.
  • Arab Gulf Fund for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND – www.agfund.org) -  AGFUND has supported the establishment of 26 Homework Centers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (2006/2007) with a total of $141,590 donated through the UNDP/PAPP.
  • Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA–www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/index-e.htm) -  through the UNDP/PAPP CIDA funded Sharek's Training in the Field internship project, implemented for over 3200 beneficiaries in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank (2006/2007) with an amount of $2,293,500.
  • European Commission (EC- www.delwbg.cec.eu.int) – in 2007 the EC funded Sharek's Dynamic Human Rights Unit project for 85% (€87,730) and the SDC co-funded for 15% (€15,480).
  • KfW Entwicklungsbank (www.kfw.de/EN_Home/index.jsp) – provided financial support of €184,450 through the UNDP/PAPP for the construction of Sharek's new management and activities center in Al-Tireh, Ramallah.
  • Welfare Association ( www.welfareassociation.org) – supported the Shababeek project for establishing and operating 10 IT Community Centers for Children and Youth with $47,380 during 2007.
  • United Nations Volunteers (UNV –   www.unv-pal.org) – for 2007/2008 the local UNV agency assisted Sharek in recruiting UNV's.
  • United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA–www.un.org/unrwa/) – organized the Summer Games 2007 in the Gaza Strip and funded Sharek for the implementation of the Sea Camps – Safety First with $258,450.
  • Playground Builders Foundation (www.playgroundbuilders.org) – has since the beginning of 2007, through private donations, funded Sharek with the establishment of 11 playgrounds (totaling $41,636) and is planning to continue this support in the future.
  • Islamic Development Bank (IDB – www.isdb.org) – funded the Youth Business Support Unit project (2007-2009) through the UNDP's Deprived Families Economic Empowerment Programme with $800,000.
  • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC–www.opec.org) supported Sharek with $71,000 for establishing and running an additional 10 Homework Centers under the Bridges program for 2007/2008.
  • Japanese Government Human Security Trust Fund (  www.mofa.go.jp/policy/human_secu/index.html ) - funded the establishment of two community centers in the Gaza Strip through the UNDP/PAPP with a total amount of $176,000 and in addition supported Sharek with $10,000 in the beginning of 2007 for a Training of Mentors.
  • Mercy Corps ( www.mercycorps.org) – funded the Internet Exchange project "Why Not" with $17,000 in 2007 and previously supported Sharek for the Ghosoon project (producing olive oil products) in 2005 with $50,000.
  • United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM –   www.unifem.org) – cooperated with Sharek in the Academic Counseling for Rural Women project in 2006, implemented in 15 West Bank locations, and sponsored the project with an amount of $24,800, in addition to $5,000 for the Gaza Strip.
  • Save the Children/Naseej (Community Youth Development Initiative) (  www.savethechildren.org and www.naseej-cyd.org) – supported the implementation of "Be the Change" as a pilot project for youth initiatives in the Gaza Strip with $50,530.
  • Palestinian Cellular Communication Company Jawwal (www.jawwal.ps) – as one of the largest Palestinian private sector companies, Jawwal sponsored the A Step Forward Career Awareness in Nablus in 2006 with $16,000 and is still today an important partner in the implementation of this program. Furthermore Jawwal funded Sharek's environmental awareness campaign "Baladna Ahla with Dardish" with $46,300 at the end of 2006.
  • ARD – funded Sharek with $55,545 for the Baladna Ahla activities in the cleaning up of, and painting of, Palestinian cities in early 2006.
  • Education Development Center ( www.edc.org) – through their Ruwwad program, it sponsored Sharek with $40,000 for the "For Tomorrow" Anti-Smoking Campaign in 2006.   
  • International Olympic Committee (www.olympic.org) – the IOC sponsored A Step Forward – Sports project in the Gaza Strip with $10,000 in 2006.
  • United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO – www.unseco.org) – in 2006, UNESCO sponsored Sharek with $5,000 to include one of its partner organizations in Sharek's network of the Partners program.
  • Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR –   www.ohchr.org/english/countries/ps/summary.htm) – the local OHCHR office supported Sharek with $450 to implement activities on the occasion of the International Youth Day 2006 on August 12.
  • Austrian Development Agency (ADA – www.ada.gv.at) – in 2005 this agency supported two of Sharek's projects in the Gaza Strip, Employment Generation and ICDL Training for graduates, with a total amount of $129,500.
  • Norwegian People's Aid (NPA – www.npaid.org) – with a total of $20,255, the NPA funded two projects in the Gaza Strip in 2005, Our Voice and Side by Side, both focusing on youth participation in political and public life.
  • Saudi Committee for Assistance to the Palestinian People – this Committee funded Sharek's IT project in 2005 with a total amount of $56,700.
  • Municipality of Ath, Belgium ( www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/be-whtat.html#pre) – this Belgian municipality funded Sharek with $5,890 for the establishment of two centres for learning and fun in the Gaza Strip in 2005 and also funded an olive project with $13,000.