Joni Zweig, Warren, president of Amurtel, reports that the nonprofit has had a tough but critical year this year, as the organization prepares for its annual International Boutique in Waitsfield in December.
“This has been a difficult year for our Amurtel teams. There is no way to sugarcoat the levels of suffering we are seeing, and too often, it is women and children who bear the brunt of the hardship. That said, there have also been bright spots of hope and celebration as communities come together, children succeed, and women take bold steps forward. We hold onto these powerful examples of resiliency and hope. Here are a few highlights,” Zweig said.
NORTH CAROLINA
Most recently, Amurtel is working closely with people in the Asheville/Marshall communities. Hurricane Helene literally swept parts of these communities away, leaving bare earth where homes and stores stood. For weeks, our teams cooked and distributed hot meals to hundreds of families who had no power, no food, and no home to cook in. They have been shoveling out broken buildings, delivering household goods to families who lost everything, and continue to work in low-income housing areas. The overwhelming outreach from around the country has provided a strong feeling of hope and support to all the communities in this region.
GAZA
With lack of food, water and shelter, thousands are facing severe malnutrition and starvation, and disease is rampant. Amurtel is supporting a program for children in Gaza that offers a (somewhat) safe place for them to connect with other children. Operating in a bombed-out building, May’s Safe Space uses art, dance and crafts as the children live with daily trauma and fear. When possible Amurtel sponsors truckloads of water and tents.
In Cairo, Egypt, thousands of families who were able to flee the violence in Gaza have little access to food and shelter. The Amurtel team has been working seven day a week for months now, setting up programs that offer skills training for newly-widowed single moms. Women’s Tatreeze Training (Threads of Hope), teaches women the traditional art of embroidery, and helps them earn money to buy food and medicine for their families. Along with coordinating collection and distribution areas for clothing and household goods, Amurtel has started a school for children, offering a place they can begin picking up the pieces of their lives.
UKRAINE
Amurtel is continuing to provide training to hundreds of social workers in Ukraine, sharing skills in psycho-social support to thousands still experiencing trauma from the ongoing war. Over the past year volunteers have been able to reach close to 7,000 people, many of whom are children.
HAITI
In Sante Suzanne, things are looking up, Zweig said. After evacuating from the violence in Port au Prince last year, the children are settling in to their new lives, attending school, and discovering the joy of play again. “Our kids are excelling in their music studies, and 15 were given scholarships to participate in a prestigious international camp. Indeed, three were invited to teach! We have a new initiative -- setting up a cheap/free kitchen that can provide meals to the elderly and to those facing food insecurity. It will be managed by local women from the village, using vegetables and fruits from our newly planted mini farm. The children especially are excited about this -- getting involved in planting over 800 fruit trees, and helping to plan the program. Micro credit programs for women in the Anse a Pitre and Banan areas continue to grow, along with self-help groups,” Zweig explained.
“The people we are fortunate to work with are a constant reminder that even in the face of violence, hunger, and fear, people find ways to create community, celebrate beauty, and embrace their children,” Zweig pointed out.
The International Boutique is Amurtel’s annual fundraising event, and this year, Zweig said it is more important than ever. The boutique takes place from December 7 through December 14, at the Masonic Lodge, Route 100 in Waitsfield.
