More letters of thanks

Balata Picture Project 4th October 2007

Dear ********
im good im so sorry bcause i did not write to you
but i was busy with some details and exams at school
me and that staff we were busy to set the work with the kids
also ther was meeting with sweadish teachers from university there to support our school
kates father he died too that was so sad
im good every thing is going well right now  we give every kid camera
now we have enough camars and thanks alot because you support us alot
and the camera you give us hisham he is using it to teach them and decumet ther work
how are you and jon i wish i could visite one day
im studying alot for my tofel too so i can apply by 2009 when i gradutae for good masters program
that is great if you are coming i feel happy all the time you come here
you are welcom my home is your home
love
respect
******

 

Azzeh Refugee Camp 7 october 2007

dear friend ***********
hi again,im writing to you this time from el fawar
camp,at this camp i was boren 40 years ago,i have
three sisters married and living here,it is a big camp
i think it is as big as balata.my sister's son thaier
is getting married next friday so i'm here with my
family to attend the wedding.
your email affected me deeply,i will never stop saying
how patriot you are.beleive me i'm learning from you
anbd proud to be a close friend to you.
today the president of italy visited bethlehem,he
promised to help the palestinians.
yes you are right,i think the people of gaza need
support and help more then we need here,the situation
there is getting worse and worse,you should find a way
to send them any kind of help available to you.
as i told you before i wish you could spend more time
this time with us in bethlehem,to visit me home and
meet my mother wife kids and family who all live in
azzeh camp.till i hear from you,bye

 

Aida Refugee Camp 2th October 2007

dear margaret
thank you and i think i say it on behalf of my frind sajeda and her sister anf ofcourse on behalf of my mother who says that is too much and she is overwelmd by you jenerousity she says that you are the sister that her mother didnot have 
please send our love to all
p.s how is you doughter now hope she is ok

Sajeda and her sister are 2

Azzeh Refugee Camp 7th Oct 07

dear friend *********t
happy eid to you and to your family,darling no need to be sorry,we didn't promise any body we said we hope to help if possible.thanx a lot for every thing you have been doing,you your family and friends in scotland may god bless you all and make it easy to you yo continue helping the poor needy people here.when you are here i'm goona exanin your arabic,ok? say hello to all our friends there.take care


Balata Picture Project

Four teenage participants from the Picture Balata workshop are coming to the US the first two weeks of April 2007. Showing their work and speaking about their lives, the photographers will travel to New York City; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh/Youngstown; Boston; Chicago and San Francisco.

These young people, leaving the West Bank for the first time, will be able to educate Americans regarding the reality of the situation in Balata Refugee Camp and occupied Palestine. The tour will also give them the chance to see that people outside Palestine support their work and the Palestinian struggle for justice.

The tour also aims to raise funds to purchase cameras, computers and Internet access so that after further training the workshop participants, nine in total, will be able to do everything from taking the picture, editing it on their own computer and then publishing it on a website for the entire world to see. This self-sustainable project will give these young people the opportunity to further pursue photography and other media as a form of self-expression and resistance.

Background:

Outside the West Bank City of Nablus lies the Balata Refugee Camp. Established in 1951, Balata and the dozens other camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan were supposed to be a temporary solution for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who were driven from their homes during the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

Nearly six decades later, Balata is home to almost 25,000 residents living on less than one square kilometer -- the most densely populated refugee camp within the West Bank. In recent years, Balata has seen hundreds of deaths and arrests, dozens of home demolitions and the camp is subject to near-nightly invasions by the Israeli Army. It is here the Picture Balata workshop was started to teach youth from the camp about photography.

Picture Balata puts the camera into the hands of the children born and raised inside the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Participants ranging from ages 11 to 18 photograph their situation as they live it in Balata Refugee Camp

Funds and Digital video cameras and still cameras donated to this wonderful project

 

Jenin The Freedom Theatre

dear Margaret, Louisa and Jean.
 
We would again like to thank you on behalf of The Freedom Theatre and the children of Jenin for your contribution. We will assure you that your contribution will be used for the benefit of the children. We are intending to use it as part of purchasing lightning equipment for the theatre.
We are sending you DVD's of Arna's Children to the address you supplied me. We would also like to give each one of you a copy as a present as a sign of gratitude. They will arrive as soon as possible.

Juliano Mer Khamis
The Freedom Theatre

 

Tel Rumeida Hebron

Hello M******, thank you so much for your support in Tel Rumeida.  I am sure after spending some time here you see clearly what your donation meant to us.  At this time the camera is with a Palestinian family in the olive groves who have been repeatly attacked in the past by settlers.  The area in the olive groves is especially at the mercy of settler violence because their are no soldier posts or police access.  The families their recently have been attacked by settlers, throwing stones at their house and attacking their children. The family we gave the camera too has a good view of three other houses and have agreed that if settlers attack their neighbors they will film from the roof. 

As you know the police and soldiers usually do nothing without video evidence so your camera is a huge contribution to this area of the community.

Again thank you so much for your support in Tel Rumeida M***** and I hope that I see you here again soon.

B*******

Thursday, August 07, 2008 2:24 PM


dear m*******
my mother picked up the mony toda and we thank you so muchfor it we will take the childeren on a trip for a day maybe dead sea anyway i hope to see you very soon
you very soon


love hiba

Balata Refugee Camp Thursday, August 07, 2008

hello thanks

i found it but wlah i was crazy and obsess of every thing
but i pass the exams yah!!!! I'm happy i have 3 semesters left
and that is good its the tops i love in school and there was something good happened there was with mark my friend i told you about
there was a evening poetry and they read poems in English and they show my work about balata in Yasmeen hotel my teachers and alot of internationals they were there i thank you there and all people support me how can forget you
one day i will thank you in my way honestly  what ever i will do
i can not thank you well with the way you should be thanked really
you should be thanked keep your head up keep the good job
my love to every one there and Jone and all people

 

mo