| Accomplishments
JWW Progress Report, as of July 2007
2 |
Medical clinics built at the Geneina and Deleij refugee camps in Darfur |
40 |
Large community educational and advocacy JWW programs attracted thousands of people |
60 |
Educational and fundraising campaigns instituted at Jewish Day Schools, Catholic parochial schools, private schools and public schools, reaching more than 30,000 young people |
56 |
Synagogue members, giving JWW a membership reach of over 300,000 |
50 |
Speakers trained to educate the community |
6500 |
Campers at Jewish summer camps educated about Darfur and JWW |
14,000 |
Solar cookers being provided to prevent the incidence of rape of women who venture out of their refugee camps to collect wood for cooking |
15,000 |
Educational items collected by children here and sent to refugee children in Darfur |
60,000 |
Signatures gathered to urge an end to the genocide |
90,000 |
Green "Do Not Stand Idly By" wristbands sold to raise awareness and funds |
$640,000 |
Raised for solar cookers to prevent the rape of women who venture out of their refugee camps to collect wood for cooking |
$750,000 |
Allocated so far in direct aid to refugees in Darfur/Chad, in the form of: water wells (more than 25 constructed, each providing life-saving capacity to 400 people), medical clinics (first JWW-funded medical clinic opened in August, 2005 in Delieij, Darfur; second clinic in Geneina, Darfur opened in summer of 2006), and other life-sustaining measures. |
Education Projects
A primary objective of Jewish World Watch is to educate people about genocide and other man-made human rights disasters in the world. Since its inception in 2004, JWW has focused its educational efforts on the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Through community events, visits to schools, temples and community organizations, work in summer camps and mentoring youth, Jewish World Watch aims to raise the awareness of both its constituents and the larger community on issues of genocide and the conflict in Darfur.
Below is a summary of major Jewish World Watch education projects to date:
SPEAKERS' BUREAU
Since its inception in Spring 2005, Jewish World Watch's Speakers' Bureau has been an essential part of our work to raise awareness about genocide and activate the community to end the conflict in Darfur. With over 50 JWW Speakers trained to deliver multi-media presentations to all ages, and hundreds of speaking engagements at schools, universities, temples, and other community organizations filled to date, JWW has been an integral player in educating the greater Los Angeles community. Recently, JWW trained a new contingent of speakers in Orange County and Santa Barbara, broadening our reach even further.
Several of our speakers have inspired community youth towards larger activist projects. Young people are an essential part of our work - their energy and enthusiasm lends an important strength to our projects. Jewish World Watch is happy to meet with anyone, of any age, interested in taking larger steps of action. For more information on getting involved with JWW projects, including youth activist projects and Bar/Bat Mitzvah projects, please contact info@jewishworldwatch.org.
To request a speaker, click here
RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Jewish World Watch has worked closely with the Armenian community of the greater Los Angeles area to recognize and commemorate the Armenian genocide. As Jews, and victims of genocide ourselves, we hold what Rabbi Schulweis has called "a kinship of suffering" with the Armenian people. JWW emphasized this kinship at several events in the first half of 2007, including:
Documentary Screening - Screamers
This documentary follows the rock band System of a Down as they tour Europe and the US, pointing out the horrors of modern genocide from Armenia through Darfur. (January 22, 2007, Valley Beth Shalom, 700 people attended) Film Screening - Voices from the Lake
The screening of Dr. J. Michael Hagopian's award-winning film documenting the stories of five witnesses to the Armenian genocide was followed by a panel discussion with Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis and Dr. Hagopian. (April, 23 2007, Valley Beth Shalom, 400 people attended) Armenian Genocide Commemorative Shabbat Dinner and Service
For the first time, the Jewish community reached out to officially recognize and commemorate the Armenian genocide. JWW and Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue welcomed Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, His Eminence, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese/Armenian Church of North America, the Very Reverend Father Dajad Yardemian, Vicar General, Western Diocese/Armenian Church of North America, as well as several representatives of local Armenian American organizations and churches. The Choirs of both St. Peter Armenian Church and Valley Beth Shalom performed together at the service that followed the Shabbat dinner. (April 27, 2007, Valley Beth Shalom, 1000 people attended)
First Annual "iWitness" Awards Presentation
Jewish World Watch honored Dr. Richard Hovanissian and Dr. J. Michael Hagopian for their lifetime's work to awaken the world to the Armenian genocide. This event was made possible with the generous support of the Schulweis Institute. (May 15, 2007, Adat Ari El, 500 people attended)
FIRST ANNUAL STATE OF HUMANITY FORUM
Jewish World Watch hosted a community wide event updating constituents about about genocide and other man-made human rights disasters in Darfur and around the world. The audience was treated to an inspirational performance by the soulful Gwen Wyatt Chorale, and learned how to take action to stop genocide from Keynote Speaker the Honorable Gareth Evans, President and CEO of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. (October 17, 2007, Valley Beth Shalom, 350 people attended).
ACT OUT LOUD: THE DARFUR ACTION TOUR
Youth Inspiring Youth to Take Action on Darfur
JWW has harnessed the power of music to inspire young people to take action on Darfur. Led by trained JWW Youth Educators, campers learned about and took their first steps of action towards alleviating the crisis in Darfur. After taking part in these interactive educational and advocacy activities, campers at Camp Ramah and Camp JCA Shalom were treated to an exciting and inspirational concert - including the original song, "Act Out Loud" - that encourages year round youth activism.
In addition, JWW has developed a list of bunk-type activities to further engage children at camp. For more information about any of our summer camp activities, or to receive the bunk activities sheet, please contact info@JewishWorldWatch.org.
For more information about this program and to download materials, click here.
Advocacy Projects
An essential aspect of the Jewish World Watch mission is advocacy. Jewish World Watch is charged with impacting public opinion and public policy to foster a groundswell of sentiment against genocide and global human rights abuses. Below is a summary of JWW advocacy projects:
DIVESTMENT
JWW has been at the forefront of campaigns to educate and raise awareness on the part of the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, other local governments, and other entities and individuals about the value of divesting from companies doing business in Sudan. JWW has worked with the Sudan Divestment Task Force to convince the University of California regents to vote in favor of divestment and the state legislature to pass legislation that was recently signed by Governor Schwarzennegger, enacting UC divestment legislation and requiring divestment by the state retirement funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS.
JWW contributed significantly to the California State, City of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County divestment campaigns as well, and continues to work on further divestment efforts at the local, city, and federal levels.
For more information on Divestment, click here.
California State Divestment Action:
City of Los Angeles Divestment Action
CARAVAN FOR PEACE - FACES OF GENOCIDE
In conjunction with the global events that were held in the fall of 2006 to help end the ongoing atrocities in Darfur, Jewish World Watch organized a caravan of survivors of the Holocaust and the genocides that were carried out in Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia and against the Kurds to meet with consulates general across Los Angeles.
The Jewish World Watch-led event was designed to engage representatives of United Nations member states in a face-to-face dialog with survivors of genocides that were carried out during the twentieth century. Meetings were held with several consuls general throughout the Los Angeles area, including representatives of five countries that are members of the U.N. Security Council. At the meetings, we urged each nation to use its influence to help convince the government of Sudan to accept a peacekeeping force.
MEETINGS WITH UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
In fall 2006, Jewish World Watch, in conjunction with the International Crisis Group , participated in a series of meetings with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and other key actors within the United Nations. Jewish World Watch advocated to the Ambassadors of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, that the United Nations take the necessary steps to deploy peacekeepers into Darfur and Chad, and that the United Nations should impose sanctions against Khartoum.
SUPPORTING PEACEMAKERS IN DARFUR
JWW Partner: International Crisis Group Supported by funds from Jewish World Watch, analysts from the International Crisis Group (ICG) conducted field research in government held territories of Darfur to determine the ability of the Africa Union (AU) forces on the ground to provide security and assess the conditions of the Internally Displaced. The international community had identified the AU as the peacekeepers in the region and the mediator in negotiations between Darfur armed groups and Khartoum's government in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
The research and analysis JWW funded supported the publication of three reports and one public statement on Sudan, along with ten high profile op-ed pieces and several other small news items. The report set out in detail how the international community can best make headway in each of the three areas identified: civilian protection, accountability and peace talks. The publications also highlighted the dynamics of the long term social reconciliation process. It brought together the encyclopedic knowledge of the political and security landscape that ICG analysts have acquired in years of field research, and took stock of the international response to date.
The report formed the basis of a coordinated advocacy campaign - targeting both national governments and public opinion in the West, the Arab world and Africa. 19,400 individuals worldwide (mainly senior government representatives, AU, EU and UN officials, MPs and journalists) received copies of the reports, and thousands of others were exposed to the report in its electronic version. The analysis conducted by ICG had a strong influence over peace negotiations with major parties to the conflict.
CONFLICT PREVENTION IN DARFUR
JWW is supporting International Crisis Group (ICG), a key research and advocacy organization with a long history in Sudan, in completing research on the current situation in Darfur. JWW's grant to ICG allows that research to be directed towards a key ICG publication on the security situation in Darfur. The publication will generate practical and specific policy recommendations aimed at advancing and supporting peace processes and mobilize political support in the immediate region, key African capitals, Europe, North America and the international community at large for the implementation of these policy recommendations. As an organization with decades of experience in policy making and advising, support of ICG's work is an important complement to JWW's advocacy mission.
Refugee Relief Projects Each quarter, the Jewish World Watch Synagogue Advisory Committee (SAC) considers projects for JWW funding. All refugee relief projects funded by JWW are done in partnership with qualified non-profit organizations which operate in the refugee camps in Darfur or Chad.
Below is a summary of JWW-funded refugee relief projects to date:
SUMMER EDUCATIONAL TOY LIFT
JWW Partner: International Rescue Committee
JWW partnered with LA area summer camps to bring school supplies to children in Darfur refugee camps. Jewish World Watch combined basic Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam goals with a major initiative to educate summer campers about the genocide in Darfur. Campers learned about the conditions endured in refugee camps, particularly by child survivors. The JWW Summer Educational Toy Lift helped to create a bond between summer campers and children in the refugee camps to build empathy, sensitivity, and responsibility for the plight of the refugees.
Jewish World Watch collected 15,000 items through this initiative. The educational toys were delivered to several camps in North, South, and West Darfur by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Below is a list of the IRC field sites and camps in Darfur where Jewish World Watch's donated items have been distributed (broken down by state):
South Darfur:
Nyala: Otash, Direige, Sekele, Mossai, Kalma, Bielel IDP camps
Kass: IDP settlements throughout the town
West Darfur:
Zalengei: Hamidiya, Hassa Hissa (including Shebbab), Khamsa Dagaig, Taiba IDP camps
North Darfur:
El Fasher: Abu Shouk, As Salaam, Zam Zam IDP camps
Kutum: Kassab IDP camp
MEDICAL CLINICS IN DELEIJ AND AL GENEINA
JWW Partner: International Medical Corps
Working with the International Medical Corps (IMC), one of the very few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) providing primary health care and water and sanitation service in the Deleiij and Al Geneina areas, Jewish World Watch funded the construction of two permanent medical clinics to serve both internally displaced people (IDPs) and resident conflict-affected populations of Darfur. Despite extreme conditions and deterioration in the security situation, construction of both of the clinics has now been completed.
The medical clinics funded by Jewish World Watch are permanent institutions that will continue to serve people for years to come, long after the emergency has ended and NGOs have left. These completed facilities offer comprehensive services, including: outpatient consultations; pre-and post-natal health care services; family planning; health education; Expanded Program on Immunization; malaria testing; disease surveillance; Oral Re-hydration Therapy (ORT); minor surgical procedures; and growth and nutritional monitoring.
The Al Geneina clinic serves 18,000 people - 13,000 conflict-affected IDPs from Abu Zahr and Madina IDP camps and 5,000 indigenous inhabitants from the adjacent Jebel area. The clinic in Deleij provides service to more than 20,000 beneficiaries, both IDPs and area host populations, and has greatly improved the health circumstances of the community it serves.
WATER WELLS IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS
JWW Partner: International Medical Corps One of JWW's key efforts has been to supply water wells in the refugee camps. Many schools have participated by raising the funds to supply a water well which keeps 500 refugees alive. The wells are built with local supplies and by local labor, organized and led by International Medical Corps to whom JWW donates the funds for the water wells.
WEST AND SOUTH DARFUR WATER PROJECTS
JWW Partner: International Rescue Committee Jewish World Watch has provided funding to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for an environmental health program to improve the water supply in refugee camps. IRC is a first-responder providing humanitarian assistance as the camps formed.
Funding from Jewish World Watch has enabled IRC to improve the provision of water in three main locations: Nyala and Kass (South Darfur) and the overpopulated and under-resourced Hamadiya camp in the Zalingei region (West Darfur).
In Nyala, JWW funding allowed IRC to rehabilitate two submersible water pumps and two generators; extend the water supply network in the Direige, Sekele and Bielel camps to increase water coverage; construct 100 family latrines for newly displaced families living in Otash and Direige camps, rehabilitate 45 family latrines in Otash and Direige camps; and conduct 6 vector control campaigns n the Otash and Direige camps. JWW funding also allowed IRC to undertake chemical spraiying at solid waste disposal points and other mosquito breeding sites to prevent malaria.
In Kass, JWW funding allowed IRC, among other activities, to install a "water bladder" holding 6000 liters of water, improving access to clean water for the thousands of IDPs living in Kass town. IRC also purchased a pump, spare parts and other operational iems to maintain existing water pumps that serve 21 camps scattered throughout Kass.
In Hamidiya Camp in Zalingei, the IRC successfully restored the water supply and sanitation system in the Hamidiya Camp for displaced persons. Jewish World Watch's support enabled the IRC to provide uninterrupted, accessible, and safe water as well as sanitation facilities to over 30,000 people living in the camp. At the conclusion of the project, the amount of clean water available in the camp increased from 12.8 to 16 liters per person, per day, exceeding the SPHERE standard of 15 liters per person, per day. To support sustainability of the project, the IRC provided trainings in routine operation and maintenance of the new system for members of the camp population as well as local community members.
 BACKPACK PROJECT:
Backpacks Filled with Supplies for the Refugee Children
Jewish World Watch is embarking on a new project to provide backpacks to the 14,000 school-aged children of the Oure Cassoni refugee camp in Chad. The backpacks will be filled with essentials for kids to go to school and to learn, such as shoes, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, paper and pencils, textbooks, educational supplies and basic hygiene items. We will partner with the International Rescue Committee, which runs schools and child-safe spaces in this camp, to make sure the children can survive and learn under the most difficult of circumstances.
SOLAR COOKER PROJECT
Protecting the Women of Darfur
Jewish World Watch's landmark Solar Cooker project aims to improve the safety and survival of women in refugee camps in Chad. Women and girls risk rape and other forms of gender-based violence when leaving the relative safety of the camps to collect wood - essential for cooking the basic food supplies provided by relief agencies. To combat the incidence of rape, Jewish World Watch has partnered with KoZon Foundation and Solar Cookers International (SCI) to expand access to solar cookers for Darfur refugee women at the Iridimi and Touloum camps in Chad.
Solar cookers built by the women of the camps cook tasty and nutritious meals with a few hours of free, renewable sunshine and saves one ton of fuelwood each year. The project enables refugee families to solar cook, save money and reduce the risks associated with venturing out of the camp.
Solar cookers provide a sustainable solution to meet the urgent need for cooking energy alternatives for Darfur refugee families. By supporting the Solar Cooker project, Jewish World Watch is bringing hope and life-saving assistance to Darfur refugees living in Chad.
Solar Cooker Media
"SHE SPEAKS, SHE LISTENS" RADIO PROJECT
Addressing Gender-Based Violence with Darfur Refugees
Jewish World Watch is supporting a unique and hi-impact radio and community outreach project assisting refugee women in Eastern Chad to address their common range of experience, needs and concerns in conflict and exile, and recover from the indignity and pain of the violations they have suffered.
In partnership with Equal Access and Internews Network , JWW funds are supporting the production and expansion of the innovative radio series "She Speaks, She Listens". This gender-based violence (GBV) program combines local radio production, voices and stories of women refuges, with direct community outreach through listening groups to support the recovery process for women suffering from the Darfur conflict.
While conflict-related rape, sexual slavery and assault are the most high-profile examples of GBV, the trauma that affects the women of the Darfur is much broader than that. It has its roots in, and is exacerbated by highly sensitive cultural factors, perceptions and practices that make it important for radio programs to address issues ranging from child marriage, to domestic violence, to women's labor and health issues. The multi-lingual "She Speaks, She Listens" show allows an audience of women to hear for the first time the voices of other women reflecting on the common range of their experience in conflict and exile, on their daily needs and concerns, and in many cases, on the indignity and pain of being excluded from their communities on account of the violations they have suffered.
COMMUNITY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES
Grief Counseling for Darfuri Refugees Escaping violence leaves refugees traumatized an unable to engage in the simplest tasks of daily life, with their coping and survival skills largely spent during flight. In the wake of fleeing their homes, refugees struggle to build new lives for themselves in the refugee camps - a struggle that in itself can be traumatic.
A UNHCR-sponsored psychosocial assessment of the Goz Amir and Djabal camps, carried out by Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and IsraAID staff, revealed that all the refugees have suffered severe trauma and present common symptoms, including intense feelings of loss, flashbacks, anger and range, feelings of withdrawal, etc. Many also suffer from physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, insomnia and changes in appetite. All of the refugees struggle to adjust to life in the camp.
This initiative, implemented by HIAS and IsraAID, provides activities that empower Darfuri refugees with knowledge and life skills in order to promote their active participation in community development activities and ensure an equitable access to services, which will provide overall enhancement of their psychological well-being. |
