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Just Walk is a 2,000 mile pilgrimage of witness and solidarity organised by Amos Trust.  Walkers left London in June on the 50th anniversary of Israeli military occupation of the West Bank; and will arrive in Jerusalem in November on the centenary of the Balfour Declaration.  Nine intrepid people are walking the whole way; but others of us are joining for parts of the route.  I will be walking from Durres on the Albanian coast, through Macedonia, to Thessaloniki in Greece, following the Via Egnatia.

What was the Balfour Declaration?  On 2nd November 1917 the UK's Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour declared:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine."

The second half of this statement has never been honoured. 

Having spent six months as an Ecumenical Accompanier in the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank in 2014 and 2015, I am walking in solidarity with the people that I grew to know and love.  I visited the girls' school at Zweidin and saw for myself how important it was to the community.  The demand for places at the school exceeds its capacity and I hope to enable its expansion, so that more young women can realise their dreams.  

Zweidin is a small village in Area C - the 60% of the West Bank under complete Israeli military jurisdiction.  This means that the Palestinian Authority is not allowed to build schools for its people; nor does the Israeli government.  Zweidin girls' school opened in 2014, in a donated house.  Since then funds raised through various sponsored events around the world have added two more classrooms and a toilet block.  There are 70 students now, studying science, maths, English, Arabic, religion and social studies.  But they would like to add a grade 5 and a grade 11, with 35 more pupils.  This is where you can help.

Why is it a school just for girls?  Because this is a traditional and conservative community, where families avoid sending their girls to co-educational schools.  Historically there has been a very high drop-out rate, with early marriages. Even those girls that do attend a co-ed school "are hesitant to ask or answer questions, voice their ideas, give speeches, participate in activities such as sports and chess or even play during recess.  They are off to the side, quiet, and inactive".  I can promise you this was not the case for the girls I observed at Zweidin!  They are full of self-confidence and a very high proportion of them plan to go to college, with their families' blessing.

Education is highly valued throughout Palestine; but girls' education is the single most powerful investment to shape a better future for the country.  Girls with a secondary education have higher family incomes, marry later, have fewer children and at an older age and invest into their own children's education.