MOTHERS Against Genocide – a grassroots group of mothers against the ongoing war in Gaza – are asking the public for donations and raising funds which will go towards helping Palestinians in the Jerash camp who have fled Israeli violence.
The group formed quickly in the wake of Israel's onslaught on Gaza and initially began as a group of 15 people on WhatsApp but now are connected to a global community of over 12,000 people.
Mothers Against Genocide have become a regular feature at the numerous marches held for Palestine in Belfast and were at the last week's protest with 120 dressed in press jackets to highlight Israeli attacks on journalists in Gaza.
The group are currently seeking to raise enough money to send over 500 sanitary kits for women as well as 1,000 nappies for children. All of the kits will be reusable. The group plan to send all donated kits to the Jerash camp in Jordan which houses Palestinian refugees and opened in 1968 after the violence of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
In support of Palestine
Jerash camp houses mostly refugees from Gaza, who make up 91 per cent of refugees in the camp, 41 per cent of whom are children. Jerash is one of the poorest of the ten official Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan. To make these donations Mothers Against Genocide have teamed up with UNRWA, the official UN Palestinian relief agency.
The group are currently asking for donations of:
● Reusable Nappies
● Nappy Liners
● Baby Soap Bars
● Washcloths
● Biodegradable nNappies.
● Reusable Women’s Pads.
● Nappy Cream
● Antiseptic Cream
● Paracetamol Packs
● Ibuprofen Packs
● Nipple Cream
● Baby Grooming Kits
● Baby Thermometers
These donations can be dropped off at the Cultúrlann by anyone who wishes to donate.
Mothers Against Genocide are also currently raising donations by hosting a Cafe Palestina Supper Club on Saturday 2nd March on International Women's Day from 7pm-10pm.
Mothers Against Genocide at a protest in Belfast
Donations will be used to help acquire items and transport them to those in need. Food served at the event will be traditional Palestinian food not usually found in restaurants in Belfast and also dishes which aren't well known outside of Palestine.
This night is a celebration of Palestinian culture, food, art, dance and music. The event will be catered by a mix of local and international cooks, who have put their hearts into the menu. The menu celebrates Middle Eastern food, with many dishes learned from family and friends. Some plates will be from different regions of Palestine and go back hundreds of years. This is an opportunity to sample dishes that are not well known outside of Palestine.
Mothers Against Genocide at a protest for Palestine
Tickets for the event can be booked online with a suggested donation of £45 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cafe-palestina-supper-club-tickets-795323904207.
Aoife McCrory from Mothers Against Genocide said: "We are a group mainly made up of women and we want to show sisterhood and solidarity with the people of Palestine. We hope that through our protests and demonstrations we can show them they are not alone.
"As women we understand the importance of sanitary items for both mothers and children. After learning about the sanitary conditions that people in the refugee camps in Jordan are faced with, we decided to show our solidarity in a practical way by fundraising to buy reusable pads and nappies for the refugees in the Jerash Camp in Jordan."
