GAZA WOMEN’S EDUCATION FUND
As part of the club’s twinning with the Afaq Jadeeda Community Centre in Gaza, we have agreed, in conjunction with the Sheffield Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund, to fund scholarships to allow women nominated by the centre to study at university.
As Mona ElFarra explained, women in Gaza ‘are dealing with conflict, hardship and internal conflict. What you give is not charity, it is solidarity.
The fund gives young women a chance to develop, to have a future. It is part of all the work against injustice. There are strict selection criteria for the scholarships. These include attaining 65% or above in high school grades, socio-economic background, commitment to the community, and personal and family circumstances such as a recent home demolition, or war injuries.
Each scholarship amounts to $600 (about £370) per year and it’s important that we’re certain the full amount can be sustained before making an offer to a student.
Once scholarships are granted we will be told the names and circumstances of the students and be given periodic updates on their progress. It’s a chance to fulfil the hopes and dreams of just a few young women in one of the most troubled and war-torn areas in the world.
If you are able to make a donation—or even better, to take out a standing order, however small. The club has opened a special account for the purpose, contact Chris Chilton to progress.
EVENT DIARY
Fri 11 Jan FIRST AID COURSE A one-off 2 hour Red Cross ’Save a Life’ course offering a quick introduction to
basic adult, child and infant life-saving skills including an opportunity to practice resuscitation skills on a manikin. £15 per person—pay on the night.
Fri 18 Jan PLAY GROUP / PEOPLE’S HISTORY An outline of Bill Dagnall’s book ‘A wage-cut too far’ published last year, about the Bolton engineering strike of 1887 which led to the formation of the Socialist Club. Including a reading of the play ‘Defence or Defiance’ based on the book.
Fri 25 Jan RED FRIDAY 'Hospital Closures: Are socialists too attached to buildings?' Martin Rathfelder
works at the Manchester Law Centre and is a member of the Socialist Health Association which has done tremendous work campaigning to defend and improve the NHS.
Given the current campaign to save Bolton’s A&E, it could make for an interesting, if possibly controversial, evening.
Fri 1 Feb MUSIC NIGHT with Steve, Dave and friends.
Fri 8 Feb RED CINEMA The Artist (2011) Nominated for 12 Bafta Awards. First silent movie to win Best Film
since1927. Clever, funny, and joyous.
Fri 15 Feb CURRY EVENING to highlight and raise funds for the Gaza Women’s Education Fund (see above). Delicious curries provided by Sufrana and Razia from Home Start. Good food for a vital cause. Miss it at your peril!
CLARION CHOIR
Moira invites anyone interested in singing good socialist songs to come along and join in.
1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month. 2-4pm