




As temperatures drop, families in the West Bank face rising costs for heating fuel, warm clothing, and weatherproofing, while incomes remain strained. Drafty housing, damaged windows and roofs, and intermittent electricity leave households—especially those in crowded apartments and rural communities—exposed to cold and damp.
Children, older adults, and people with chronic illness are at heightened risk of respiratory infections and hypothermia. Limited access to clean water, hot showers, and adequate bedding compounds health risks, and families resort to harmful coping strategies like debt or unsafe heating methods.


































Winterization must be fast, safe, and dignified—pairing immediate relief with practical upgrades to keep homes warm and healthy without overburdening local markets.
Shelter weatherproofing & safe heat: Provide kits for sealing doors/windows, repairing leaks, and insulating rooms, alongside safe heaters, fuel support, and basic fire safety materials and guidance.
Fair targeting & orderly delivery: Use simple vulnerability criteria and verified lists, schedule pickups to reduce crowding, and enable limited home delivery for older adults and persons with disabilities.
Health, WASH & follow-up: Pair distributions with hygiene items and respiratory health tips, keep feedback channels open, and run quick post-distribution checks to adjust assistance and address gaps.
This project provided essential winterization support to vulnerable families in the West Bank, focusing on those at the greatest risk due to harsh winter conditions, economic hardship, and displacement. The project distributed critical winter supplies, ensuring families could protect themselves from the cold and reduce health risks.
These supplies addressed the immediate winter needs of families, preventing cold-related health issues and enhancing overall well-being. The intervention targeted the most vulnerable populations, including low-income households, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and those living in substandard housing. By focusing on both immediate survival and longer-term well-being, the project helped families remain resilient throughout the winter.
Project Objectives/Outputs:
Dr. Yahya Hendi is the Director for Muslim Life. He has been at Georgetown for 25 years and was the first Muslim chaplain to be hired full-time by an American university. Imam Hendi is a Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellow at the Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Maryland School of Law and the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office. Imam Hendi is the founder and president of Clergy Beyond Borders. He also serves as a member of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America. Imam has served as an adjunct faculty member for Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Osher’s Lifelong Learning Institute of Johns Hopkins University, Fordham University, and Hartford Seminary. Imam Hendi also taught the course Inter-religious Encounters at Georgetown University. He is passionate about environmental responsibility, racial justice, eliminating poverty, fighting against the growing sense of militarism, and empowering Muslims to reform the way they practice and understand Islam. When Imam Hendi is not talking about these topics with students, you’ll find him in the kitchen cooking Maqloobah or his other favorite dishes, grilled chicken, rice, and hummus.
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