West Bank, South Hebron AP
World Vision has been working in the area since 1975 in various capacities. In 2009, South Hebron was identified as having the most vulnerable communities in the West Bank. An AP was launched there with the goal of contributing to the well-being of children in the areas of health, education and protection to enable them to overcome the severe challenges they face. There are two main groups in the population: village dwellers and the Bedouins, who live semi-nomadic life.
The unstable situation in the West Bank directly impacts agricultural productivity and livelihood opportunities. Land is of utmost importance to livelihood in the West Bank as community members are primarily herdsmen.
The lack of water is another huge challenge. Community members are unable to drill wells or build cisterns to catch rainwater without government permits.
In terms of health, 21% of children under five are anaemic, while almost 1 in 10 children under two are stunted. 33% of households are food insecure, with another 11% at risk of food insecurity.
One significant issue in the AP is the illiteracy rate, which stands at 15%. In comparison, the national average is 4.1%.