The Forgotten People Fund

 A charity registered in Israel # 58-032-322-8

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VISIT TO THE DORA NEIGHBORHOOD IN NETANYA by Steve Kramer

Before ending our visit at the Dora Community Center, Anne Silverman, co-founder of the FPF (Forgotten People Fund to aid Ethiopians in need) explained FPF's efforts to the young Ethiopian volunteers gathered there.

Anne's example shows how much impact a determined person can have by making meaningful efforts. After leaving the center, we visited an apartment with Anne which illustrates some of the problems that children grow up with in these areas, especially in Dora, perhaps Netanya's poorest neighborhood.

We went to distribute food vouchers to a family where the father is unemployed and speaks little Hebrew, and the mother, whose Hebrew is also poor, is kept very busy taking care of the small apartment and their eleven children. This apartment is in relatively good condition (after Anne and FPF volunteers spent long hours and lots of money renovating and mentoring) and has a yard. But many of the apartments of other FPF families nearby are in mid-rise buildings with dark hallways, neglected public areas, crumbling walls, and inadequate infrastructure. In a few words, dilapidated and unsafe.

Despite the quality of the professional leaders in Dora, and the exceptional abilities of the youthful, home-grown leadership, the situation in Dora and similar communities is sometimes less-than-hopeful.

The crime rate in Dora is high and high school graduation rates are less than the average. The professionals do their utmost to help their kids, but they don't reach everyone. The youth who aren't participating in social activities at these centers are outside of the loop and their conditions and behavior often reflect this. FPF's mission is to help with the Ethiopian community's immediate needs, such as with food vouchers, and to prevent future needs with proactive programs like the Nutrition and Budgeting courses.