Jos Sances: Maia Kids

This print is 22'' x 22.''

MAIA PROJECT: BRINGING CLEAN WATER TO THE CHILDREN OF PALESTINE

This print was created by Jos Sances, founder and Art Director of Alliance Graphics, to celebrate the work of the Middle East Children's Alliance for its 25th Anniversary.

“I thank MECA from the bottom of my heart. Now we can drink clean water, suitable for humans. The school water wasn’t suitable for animals or humans.”
--Amjad Akluk, 13 years old

“Maia” means water in Arabic. Recent U.N. and Amnesty International reports show that only 5% of the water in Gaza is suitable for human consumption. Israel diverts water from Palestinian resources, denies entry of supplies to repair and maintain water infrastructure, and destroys water systems during military attacks.

In 2007, Dr. Mona El Farra, MECA’s Gaza Project Director, went to the Bureij Boys’ Elementary School in a Gaza refugee camp and asked the students what MECA could do to help their school. Two days later, after the school’s Student Parliament met and voted, they told Dr. El Farra that what they wanted more than anything was to be able to have a glass of clean water to drink at school.

Since then, MECA has provided 38 reverse osmosis (RO) water purification/desalination units in Gaza schools, providing clean, safe drinking water for approximately 40,000 children.