Mazari El Nubani, West Bank - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated Tuesday the inauguration of the Mazari El Nubani and Aroura Girl School in the Bani Zaid Municipality in Ramallah. The event was held at the new school, which is located in the village of Mazari El Nubani and also serves the students of nearby Aroura. Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Mohammad Abu Zaid and Michael Hess, USAID Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance on a visit from Washington, attended the event, together with other dignitaries. The school will provide modern facilities for 400 hundred female students, making it possible for girls to study in a comfortable and safe environment.

USAID contributed $421,302 towards the school construction, which was implemented by World Vision. The new school has 10 class rooms serving grades 5 through 9, a computer room, a library, administrative offices, a multi-purpose hall, and a playground. The construction of the school created more than 5000 days of work for Palestinians living in the Bani Zaid Municipality.

The construction of the Mazari El Nubani and Aroura Girl School was done under the USAID funded JOBS program, which has assisted the Palestinian education sector in 17 villages and benefited over 70,000 Palestinians. The program has contributed to the alleviation of poverty through implementing short term job opportunities in construction and the improvement of basic infrastructure in the West Bank.

Since 1993, USAID has provided more than $1.7 billion in U.S. economic assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza via projects designed to combat poverty, improve health and education, create jobs, and promote democracy and good governance.