Jordan Valley Solidarity is a grass roots group acting directly on the ground in Palestine. Run by locals and supported by solidarity groups around the world, the campaign has been working with Palestinian communities living in area C of the valley for the last ten years. It has supported them in their determination to remain on their land, despite continuous threats of forced displacement by Israel, and has implemented projects aimed to facilitate this.

In 2007 the campaign started building its first mud-brick structure in the Jordan Valley in resistance to Israeli’s restrictions on Palestinians building, or even repairing houses and infrastructure, in area C. Designed to be easy to build and cheap to rebuild if they are demolished by the army, the building of mud-brick houses are an important tactic for Palestinians resisting the occupation.

This first mud-brick structure was Fasayil school. Initially issued with an injunction by the Israeli civil administration, the plight of Fasayil gained worldwide attention with a petition translated into five languages and actions in support of the school carried out in several countries. Eventually, Israel back tracked; the school was allowed to stand. Six years later, the school educates around 200 primary age children in Upper Fasayil and stands as an example of the effectiveness of Palestinian steadfastness.

“To Exist is to Resist”: Help us build more homes in the valley

Since 2007 Jordan Valley Solidarity has successfully built and renovated over 70 houses in threatened communities in the valley with the help of mud-bricks. Volunteers have come from around Palestine and the world to help. But making the mud-bricks is time consuming and labour intensive, limiting the number of communities that the campaign can work with. The more mud-bricks we can make the more houses will be built!

Jordan Valley Solidarity is currently fundraising for a mud-brick making machine, which would significantly increase the house building capacity. It is estimated that the machine would enable communities to make enough bricks to build one new house per week, or 48 houses per year. The estimated cost of making this machine is 20,000 NIS (around £3,600). One solidarity group has already taken on trying to raise 5,000 NIS but we need your help with the rest.

Building with mud bricks is about: sustainability; communities working collectively together; resistance; and international solidarity.

Target for mud-brick machine: 15,000 NIS (around £2700)

Help the day to day running of the campaign

The largest expense for Jordan Valley Solidarity is the day to day running costs of the campaign and fundraising for this remains a big challenge, as people often prefer to donate to specific, media friendly projects. However, the campaign would not exist were it not for the everyday efforts of our volunteers.

One of the first obstacles to mobilising the local community is the large distance between the communities of the Jordan Valley. There is no cost-effective public transport available to Palestinians in the Valley, including the campaign organisers. Whilst dealing directly and in-person with community members is the ideal means of communication, the use of phones and other communication technology is unavoidable in the Valley. Since there is no Palestinian communication infrastructure outside of the Area A and B towns and villages this is expensive, with people being forced to rely on Israeli alternatives. The Internet is completely useless as a means of communication within the Valley given that only an extremely tiny minority has Internet access, but essential for JVS to communicate with others beyond the valley.

In order to run the campaign effectively, and be able to act swiftly in urgent situations such as house demolitions, we need funds for petrol to get to remote communities, for phone bills to be able to communicate. The campaign also needs money to sustain the Friends Meeting House, the centre in Al Jiftlik which houses volunteers and works as the hub of the campaign.

Target for monthly running costs: 2500 NIS (around £460)

How to donate:

Jordan Valley is a grass roots group with no political affiliations and the vast majority of our work is supported by donations from individuals and fundraising activities organised by our supporters around the world. That means you! Please consider making a one off donations, or setting up a standing order for a contribution. No amount is too small. Please indicate if you want your donation to go toward any specific project, if not your money will go to where it is most urgently needed.

You can donate online via our website at  http://www.jordanvalleysolidarity.org/index.php/donate. Donations can be made in UK pounds, Euros or US Dollars.

If you are based in the UK you can also donate by bank transfer, cheque or standing order. Pleae contact us at   brightonjvs@gmail.com

For more information about Jordan Valley Solidarity please visit www.jordanvalleysolidarity.org