Family Business and Scholarship Support
Nasser Al Jammali, 50, the sole breadwinner for his family of five, worked for many years in Israel on different construction and building sites. Since 2000, Nasser and hundreds of thousands of other workers have not been permitted to work in Israel.
Since that time, Nasser hasn’t had a fixed job in Gaza due to the rapidly increasing unemployment, particularly among construction workers. Nasser said, “If you were in Gaza, you would notice unfinished buildings, people have apartments and other ‘shelters’ with the absolute minimum capacity and requirements to be considered livable. Many houses in refugee camps have poor electricity networks and infrastructure systems.”
Nasser added, “Seven years after being jobless, the only chance I got is as a technician in an electrical appliance factory in Gaza. A small factory that manufactures simple electrical ovens for home use. We wait to receive raw materials through Israel and here we just assemble the different components together, I have become very capable at the job, but unfortunately the income is really just symbolic, and not enough to support me or my family.”
“The biggest worries I have, are about the education of my children. By 2010, my son and daughters started to be at the age for university, and I should be supporting them, yet I can’t. Then my daughter Fatima qualified for an Al Fakhoora Scholarship. She was among the top students at the Pharmacy College and registered to receive aid due to our financial situation at home, in what is called a ‘hardship case’. Fatima was then accepted as a Dynamic Future’s scholar – and that was such blessed and relieving news.” Nasser commented.
“Then, late in 2012, Al Fakhoora along with the DEEP team visited our home. I was so happy to know that they would help us to start up our own small business. The first business idea we discussed as a family was to have our manufacturing / assembly unit for electrical appliances. A business that can be based at home and provide the factory where I used to work with the products. Al Fakhoora supported me with seed funding, equipment and raw materials to produce 1200 pieces a month.” Nasser said.
Nasser’s business began improving the more experience he gained and with that improvement and experience came more sales. For him, “Having a daughter supported by Al Fakhoora was an amazing help, it was her wish and our ambitions for her to study pharmacology. I would never have been able to support her studies without this assistance. In fact, my income has now increased from $150 to $350. It has not only been the difference of $200, but also a matter of stability and financial freedom. If the market was better, I would make triple the income with my current resources.”
Nasser concluded, “My daughter is doing very well at school and I am very happy with my business. I think this has created a stability and confidence as well as removed our fears. I am looking forward to a day when the market will flourish and create more opportunities and a better income.”
