This year, for Mother’s Day, we are sharing the stories from across the globe of women – mothers – who are demanding justice for women and their families. Through their determination and effort, they have remade their communities and created real change.
Like many Palestinian women living in the Gaza Strip, 40-year-old Maryam struggles to provide safe drinking water for her children. Israel has restricted the movement of people and goods into Gaza since 2007, resulting in a severe shortage of clean water. Gaza’s water supply is contaminated by salt and toxic nitrate. Broken water pipes allow raw sewage to leak into the groundwater supply. “Since the blockade began, my house only has water once a week,” said Maryam, who has 11 children. “The rest of the time, we have to buy water at four times the cost of water from the municipality.” Maryam purchases water from desalination stations in Gaza City and stores the water in plastic containers, which cover nearly every corner of her house, including her bedroom. “I only use the water for drinking and cooking,” said Maryam. “I need more water for washing and other household chores, but it is too expensive. My husband Talal works as a cleaner collecting garbage with his horse. But after rent, water and food for the horse, we have very little money left.”
MADRE is working with the Zakher Association to ensure that Maryam and her family will have reliable, affordable and clean water. The Zakher Association, founded and run by women in Gaza, works in Gaza’s most impoverished communities to alleviate suffering and strengthen the role of women in addressing the medical, economic and social crises that Palestinians face. With MADRE support, the Zakher Association is installing 25 water filters in Gaza City to provide clean drinking water to nearly 52,500 people. Smaller water filters will also be installed in several primary schools, and provide 1,500 children with clean water.
How You Can Help This Mother’s Day:
A Mother’s Day gift of $25 to our partner in Gaza will sponsor clean drinking water for 15 young children. With every gift you make for this Mother’s Day, we will send a beautiful card to the person of your choice, telling them about the important work that you are supporting in their name.
To read other stories from the Mothers Make the World series, click here. To ensure delivery of your card by Mother's Day, please submit your donation by 5pm EST on May 4.
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