Oxfam and the Umma Trust are jointly hosting a dinner to raise funds for their relief and reconstruction work in the Middle East. Funds raised will assist people in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza.

The Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand, Barry Coates will host the evening to be held on Saturday 9 September at 6pm at the Ceramco Park Function Centre, 120 Glendale Road, Glen Eden and notable Middle East commentators from the New Zealand community will provide their perspectives, providing guests with a unique insight into the recent conflict.

Guest speakers include: Jon Stephenson, a foreign correspondent recently returned from Lebanon and Iraq; Phillip Khouri, a lawyer and past president of the Federation of Ethnic Councils of New Zealand; Anjum Rahman, a founding member of the Islamic Women's Council and Shama (Hamilton Ethnic Women's Centre) and actively involved in the Hamilton Peace Movement; David Moskovitz, the immediate past President of Wellington's Temple Sinai, and actively involved in peace and unity initiatives between Jewish and Muslim communities; and Jill Conway, the manager of Auckland Refugee and Migrant Centre and experienced in post-war reconstruction initiatives.

Oxfam is committed to assisting people in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza during this emergency and beyond. "It will take a long time for the wounds to heal and it's imperative that these people are not forgotten," said Coates.

The Umma Trust, a small organization formed initially by the New Zealand Iraqi migrant community to assist the wider refugee and migrant community, has joined with Oxfam out of a desire to support those in need in the Middle East.

The conflict has claimed hundreds of lives and forced more than 900,000 people to abandon their homes in search of safety. Through its international network Oxfam has already been able to reach 12,000 people in desperate need of our help. It has already begun to provide clean water and sanitation – essential to meet people's basic hygiene needs.

Although some people are still sheltering in schools and public buildings, many have begun the difficult journey home, often to discover that everything has been destroyed.

For $45, the price of an evening, Oxfam can provide one displaced family with a hygiene kit containing towels, soap, toothpaste and other simple but vital items to keep them healthy while they begin the traumatic process of rebuilding their lives.

Tickets are limited and cost $45. Tickets need to be purchased by Tuesday 5 September. Please contact Trien Steverlynck, Oxfam New Zealand for tickets.

trien@oxfam.org.nz or phone 09 355 6855. Please, help with reconstruction in the Middle East.

Notes

Oxfam's Work in the Middle East Oxfam continues to deliver assistance to people in Lebanon, Gaza and Israel

Lebanon Oxfam, working with contractors and partners, is now supplying 1.2 million litres a day to seven villages in south Lebanon and 360,000 litres a day to the heavily bombed southern suburbs of Beirut.

Damage caused by the bombing has cut electricity to many villages and they now rely on emergency generators. Oxfam is providing a large generator to the southern town of Sifra which will pump enough water to supply the 12,000 local residents. Oxfam will also be assisting five southern towns to repair the pumping capacity of their main water supply wells. Where generators are working, Oxfam is supplying 300 litres of fuel a day.

Oxfam is also supplying: 1,800 hygiene kits , 4,800 buckets for water storage, 350 kits for rubbish clearance, 350 toilet cleaning kits, 2.5km of water piping, 440 x 1,000 litre water tanks, 300 litres a day of fuel in five towns to support water pumping, 8 machines for spraying insecticides

Gaza

In Gaza, where the crisis has been overshadowed by the recent conflict, Oxfam's partner organisations will be providing water and sanitation facilities. Oxfam also has projects that are improving the amount and variety of food available in Gaza. Oxfam is helping 150,000 Palestinians in the West Bank to access clean water

Israel Oxfam works across Israel addressing poverty and suffering. Since the beginning of the current hostilities, Oxfam has been in close contact with our existing Israeli partners, especially those working in northern Israel.

Oxfam plans to support organisations and groups that can help people who might fall through the Israeli safety net. For example, Oxfam is concerned for Arab-Israelis and newer Jewish emigre communities living in northern Israel. We are supporting our partners Al Zahraa and Labourer's Voice to assist people from these communities who are suffering as a result of Hezbollah's rocket attacks.

Oxfam is also in consultation with a number of Jewish Israeli organisations to gather more information about the needs of Jewish emigré communities who may not be receiving support from other sources.

We are assisting 140,000 Bedouin people and other minorities in Israel to secure their rights.

ENDS

© Scoop Media