05 December 2005
Newsletter to supporters of Wadi Foquin Kindergarten
DearWe wanted to update you with news from Wadi Foquin but as you know communication with Fahmi is difficult. We have been sending $1600 on a bi-monthly basis to Future Vision which pays 80% of the salary of three kindergarten teachers. The following is recent news we received from Shaune Shearer who was a participant on Linda's last tour.
20.10.05
“We were given a very warm welcome by the Kindergarten staff, and after a talk by Fahmi Mansara's twin brother about what is happening in Wadi Foquin, we met the children and their teachers. The schoolrooms are bright and well-equipped with many pictures and wall paintings. The 30 children gave us a huge, noisy welcome, posed for photographs and sang song after song, some with hand movements so we all joined in!. The children were exuberant and full of smiles, although one or two of the boys were very solemn; one had a black eye – how he got it is unknown.
We walked through the very fertile village. The water supply is plentiful as they are connected to the same source that supplies the settlement. The village is in real danger of being cut off as the wall is encroaching onto land around it. The only road to and from bethlemhem is to be closed to palestinians. A tunnel is to be dug for them to travel to Bethlehem. Bettar Illit is growing – through binoculars many houses can be seen standing empty.
Turning this beautiful, peaceful village into a 'bantustan' is an outrage.”
We shall continue to support the teachers as long as we have sufficient income this end but we feel we should enquire whether you wish to continue with your donations.
The Dove and Dolphin is also involved with War on Want in important legal actions being undertaken by Daniel Machover and Kate Maynard of Hickman & Rose, Human Rights lawyers, in very close association with Palestine Committee for Human Rights in Gaza and other NGOs – both Palestinian and Israeli.
See – www.the wall.org.uk www.waronwant.org
With best wishes