JERUSALEM – On Wednesday, July 21, 2021, the Social Services Department of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in cooperation with Fr. Amjad Sabbara, parish priest of Jerusalem, held a first aid workshop for 16 Palestinian women from East Jerusalem, in the Latin parish of Jerusalem. 

Paramedic Ramzi Nijem gave the workshop which falls within the Women’s Empowerment Project that has aimed, since 2020, to empower women from East Jerusalem economically, socially and psychologically, especially following the outbreak of the Coronavirus, by providing various training activities and manuals aiming at training the women in life and vocational skills, as well as skills needed to start their own business. 

The three-hour workshop included training on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and on the use of a defibrillator, which has become a necessity in all institutions in order to be able to deal with sudden clots as soon as they occur, as well as training on how to resuscitate children, which requires special care, deal with burns of various degrees, and with scorpion and snake bites as soon as they occur, in addition to dealing with strokes, their symptoms and how to quickly diagnose them. 

The workshop also included practical application through the participation of women, in order to obtain the maximum possible benefits from the learned first aid skills. Mr. Ramzi also shed light on the old false traditions regarding first aid, focusing on the correct methods of performing it.

“I noticed that there is a lack of knowledge of what is needed with regard to first aid,” said Reem Khader of the Social Services Department. “Even though knowledge of first aid may save a person’s life, hence the importance of raising awareness of such aspects and holding such workshops. When women acquire culture in such fields, they become more able to manage their affairs both at home and outside”.

At the end of the workshop, the women expressed their satisfaction, having gained valuable information and learned new skills. On the other hand, some information that they had previously had a misconception about, became clear to them. 

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem