Two projects funded under the ‘Be the Impact’ initiative for Italian civil society organizations in Palestine have been launched: WeWorld – GVC and VIS are committed to strengthening the role of cooperatives in Palestine for sustainable development. The two NGOs will focus on enhancing the technical, administrative, and managerial capacities of the cooperatives, as well as improving their productivity and efficiency.
Jerusalem, September 25, 2024 – In the presence of Domenico Bellato, Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem, agreements were signed between AICS Jerusalem, represented by the Head Office, Mirko Tricoli, and the Italian organizations WeWorld-GVC and VIS, represented by Giovanna Fotia (WWGCV) and Luigi Bisceglie (VIS). These projects, entrusted to the Italian NGOs, will last 24 months and are valued at approximately €1,038,000.
The two projects are “Tahseen, a program to strengthen the managerial capacities of Palestinian cooperatives in accordance with cooperative principles and a sustainability perspective,” implemented by VIS in partnership with EducAid and Vento di Terra, and “COOPER-IDEA, actions to improve and strengthen cooperative productivity for inclusive development and entrepreneurship,” which will be managed by WeWorld with the involvement of Haliéus.
Both projects focus on enhancing the technical, administrative, and managerial capacities of cooperatives while improving their productivity and efficiency. “Tahseen” will concentrate on improving the technical skills related to administration, management, finance, and governance for 50 cooperatives, while “COOPER-IDEA” will work to enhance the productivity of 30 active cooperatives in the agricultural and artisan sectors in the West Bank by creating a consortium and cooperative platforms that strengthen the domestic market.
With a total budget of €4,000,000, BE THE IMPACT aims to contribute to strengthening the cooperative system and social entrepreneurship in Palestine, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Cooperative Work Agency, building on Italian experience in this sector.