Category Archives: News

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News, Womens Scholarship Fund

‘Inspiring’ the Scholarship Fund 10th anniversary event

Inspiring and Uplifting. These two words were repeated by many of the people present at the Scholarship Fund’s 10th anniversary event in Sheffield Town Hall, marking International Women”s Day 2017.

The town hall reception room was packed to hear the stories of the students who have received scholarships since 2007. The stories are moving and full of hope despite the reality of life in Gaza,

Please pass my deep feelings of love and gratitude to all in Britain connected to the Sheffield Scholarship Fund.  You have opened a new window in the dark sky of living in Jabalia under occupation. Sama Wadi, Jabalia refugee camp, 2008

I really appreciate the efforts made by the women’s group in Sheffield to help and support Palestinian women. The scholarships show there’s justice in the world and they tell us that we deserve to live a decent life as in the rest of the world. Thank you from the depth of my heart. Maisaa Salah Abu Khadra, Bureij refugee camp, 2016

Thanks to the Lord Mayor, Cllr Denise Fox and the

Lord Mayor Cllr Fox and Kholoud Ajarma
Lord Mayor Cllr Fox and Kholoud Ajarma

Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Anne Murphy for hosting the event and welcoming the Fund. The Lord Mayor’s words of support for the students and for the work of Fund was really appreciated.

Speakers by SPWSF banner
Speakers by SPWSF banner

Thanks to our speakers, Kholoud Ajarma and Musheir El Farra. Thanks to Sheffield Socialist Choir for opening the event with song.

The Scholarship Fund is aiming to raise £23k this year to bring the total sent out to Gaza of £100k in 10 years. Please support us to reach this target. Email for details: sheffieldpwsf@yahoo.co.uk

News, Protest

Support Malaka Shwaikh – sign our petition

MALAKAPossibly the worst thing a newspaper can do to a Muslim woman is to publish a picture of her under the headline “I am proud to be called a terrorist”.  This is exactly what the Mail on line has done to Malaka Shwaikh.

Ilan PappeMalaka is currrently at Exter University, studying under Ilan Pappe , a Jewish Israeli Professor; she is in no way anti-semitic. Before she moved from Sheffield, Malaka was a member of Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.   She is an intelligent articulate active anti-racist.  

What has stirred the ire of the Pro Israeli and Zionist campaigners is that she is Palestinian, articulate and effective.

The full sentence she used was:  “If terrorism means protecting and defending my land, I am so proud to be called terrorist. What an honour for the Palestinians!”   This was said in the context of Israel’s 2014 bloody onslaught on Gaza. The wilful ripping out of part of the sentence completely misrepresents her position.

The attack on Malaka is part of a coordinated attempt to discredit pro-Palestinian campaigners. Israel has become increasingly right wing and xenophobic.  It is feted by white supremacists and Islamophobes.  Its supporters desperately hope to drown out criticism of Israel’s illegal land theft by false allegations of terrorism and anti Semitism.

If the Daily Mail’s malevolent distortion is allowed to stand Malaka’s ability to travel, to return to Gaza, and live a normal life will be made near impossible.    It will also embolden the Mail for further attacks.

What you can do

  1. Read the statement by Sheffield PSC.  
  2. Raise the issue in your place of worship, trade union or community group, classmates etc.
  3. Complain to IPSO (You will need to refer to the article here)
  4. Complain to the Daily Mail 
  5. Send a message of support to Malaka via Sheffield PSC
  6. Sign the online petition

    Defend Malaka - Petition to the Independent Press Complaints Commission

    This petition is now closed.

    End date: Apr 30, 2017

    Signatures collected: 322

    322 signatures
     
  7. If you are doing a paper petition, please download from here and return the completed sheets to Sheffield PSC as detailed on the document

 

Campaign, News, Womens Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Fund 10th anniversary newsletter

“I am proud of what we have done together” Mona El Farra in Gaza tells Julia South, our newsletter editor. 
The Scholarship Fund is proud of what we have achieved in our first ten years, starting with three students in 2007 to supporting 39 in 2017-17. Our special 10th anniversary newsletter includes interviews with students who have graduated and how supporters of the Fund have raised money and awareness throughout the year.
With special thanks to Dr Mona El Farra and Wafaa El Derawi in Gaza and for Julia South in Sheffield for writing and editing the newsletter.
Read what a difference your support has made and then come and celebrate these achievements at the 10th anniversary event on Wednesday 8th March in Sheffield Town Hall from 7-9pm. See our flyer: International Womens Day Sheffield March 8th 2017
With all the troubling news in the headlines, this is a chance to celebrate solidarity and social action – we can make a difference!
Campaign, Cultural event, News, Womens Scholarship Fund

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund

To mark Sheffield Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund 10th Anniversary, we are holding a celebration event on International Women’s Day, March 8th 2017 in Sheffield Town Hall at 7pm.

Full information here: International Womens Day Event

Hosted by the Lord Mayor, Denise Fox, with songs from Sheffield Socialist Choir, stories from our scholarship students, speeches from Sheffield PSC activist Musheir El Farra and Palestinian woman speaker Kholoud Al Ajarma on the power of women’s education.

All welcome to celebrate how Sheffield has shown its solidarity with Palestinian women students in Gaza, Palestine.

Event is part of SheFest

Fundraising, News

Kholoud Al Ajarma at benefit meal Sheffield 28th Jan

Kholoud+Al+AjarmaKholoud Al Ajarma is a Palestinian refugee from Aida Camp, Bethlehem and is coming to Sheffield next week to speak to us about her experience of working with refugees.
She has lots of experience working with young refugees, encouraging them to speak out and assert their rights. She worked in the Lajee Centre, Aida Camp, and in other camps across the West Bank developing programmes for the youngsters, particularly in media and photography. She has travelled with the Lajee dancers on international tours and acted as compere, giving voice very strongly to the political significance of dance, an act of cultural resistance to occupation and oppression.
She’s a great speaker and knows the value of Children’s Centres, the cause we’re promoting in this Benefit– come and meet her

 

Fundraising, News, Womens Scholarship Fund

2017 is 10th anniversary year for Scholarship Fund

Sheffield Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund sponsored its first three women students into university in Gaza in 2007. This year we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary  and aiming to reach the target of sending out a total of £100,000 over 10 years.

To reach this target we need to raise £23,000 by June 2017. We have raised £19,000 to date, so are well on the way. There are events planned during the year including an International Women’s Day celebration in Sheffield Town Hall on Wednesday 8th March at 7.00pm. The event is being hosted by the Lord Mayor’s Office.

Come and join us to celebrate the students who have gained degrees and those we are currently supporting. Hear their stories and see their achievements.

10th Anniversary Flyer

News

Events to look forward to in 2017

Already Sheffield PSC is planning a full calendar for 2017. You can get an overview here. When more details are available they will be published on our events page.

Don’t forget first Saturday of every month: boycott HP action. January action details here

 

 

Cultural event, News

Not long till Cinema Palestino

Sheffield’s cinema Palestino film season has been a fixture for 8 years now. This year we are showing 3000 Nights, an award winning film set in a Israeli women’s prison  contratsing the britality of her treatment with the care given to new life and community

We are also showing a documentary by Hind Shoufani about her father, Elias Shoufani, academic, activist and exile. Winner of Best Non-European Documentary at the European Independent Film Festival, Paris  this film is a personal, poetic and political archive and interview journey to discover family history.

More about these films is here;