By Mira Al-Ahmad

One idea was running through my mind the moment we heard the music echoing from the door: “I never realized how fortunate I am.” It was a sad day, an eye-opening experience, a happy day, I couldn’t tell. Four Homes of Mercy are four words that represent exactly what the words mean, and I’m here to tell you why.

With smiles on their faces, and gratitude in their voices, the staff of Four Homes of Mercy and their Director Osama Khalilieh warmly welcomed representatives from USAID and CHF International who were visiting the society upon their invitation. Located in Al 'Eizariya town, Four Homes of Mercy is a national non-profit charitable organization, founded 71 years ago, by the late Mrs. Katherine Siksek. The society provides necessary services to meet the needs of patients, from 3 years old to old age, with severe and chronic disabilities from disorders in the nervous system. The society currently has 78 patients with severe disabilities, among them are 25 children and teenagers, assisted by 68 employees who work three shifts, mornings, afternoons and nights. There are patients who have been at the society for over 60 years, their families may have forgotten them but the Society’s staff have made them part of their family.

The financial contributions of the patients’ families cover only around 5% of the running expenses and therefore the society depends mainly on donations and fundraising. This has led to challenges in maintaining the facilities and providing an enabling healthy environment for the patients to heal. This need was brought to the attention of the Local Government and Infrastructure (LGI) program being implemented by CHF International with funding from USAID. LGI then initiated much needed rehabilitation work on the society premises.