OPT: ANERA trains 100 preschool teachers in Gaza

July 6, 2009 | Gaza City -The Milk for Preschoolers (MfP) program, jointly sponsored by ANERA and Secours Islamique France (SIF), held a graduation ceremony today for 100 preschool teachers who had completed the 2009 Nutrition, Psychosocial Support and Awareness Program - a two-week training program conducted by the private consulting firm Impact Consulting, Inc.

The 100 trainees were selected from preschools participating in ANERA's MfP program throughout Gaza. The 150-hour program provided in-depth instruction on nutrition, psychosocial awareness and support for preschoolers. Activities also educated teachers on behavior support to help children develop social and communication skills through creating a positive environment for learning and growth.

During the graduation ceremony, representatives from ANERA, SIF and Impact all acknowledged the participants' accomplishments and the program's success. "The new training helps Gaza's teachers better educate and nurture Palestinian children. These series of sessions are an important equivalent to the daily snacks we offer to their young students through MfP," said ANERA's MfP Manager Mona Abu Ramadan.

"We thank ANERA and the MfP coordinators for helping in this project. I am glad we reached our target of 100 teachers and we plan to reach out to more next year," said Adel Kadoom, SIF representative in Gaza.

Teachers also acquired skills in first aid awareness and post-trauma psychosocial support, which were added to the program this year. The new focus helped educate families across Gaza on how to deal with children's emotional needs for stability and security. Classes led by a group of experts also offered creative lessons to emphasize good nutrition and healthy habits.

"We have learned a lot. The success of this program could not have been achieved without the support of the whole team of teachers. We are going back to our preschools with new concepts and energy to give to our beloved preschoolers," said Najah, one of the teachers.

ANERA launched MfP in 2003 to fight malnutrition among children in Gaza. Today it serves more than 25,000 Gazan youngsters in more than 180 preschools.

About ANERA

Since 1968, ANERA has been a leading provider of development programs in health, education and job creation in communities throughout the Middle East. In 2008 alone, ANERA delivered more than $75 million for programs in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Jordan.

About Secours Islamique

Secours Islamique France (SIF) is an international non-governmental organization based in France. Founded in 1992, SIF is a non-profit and non-political organization that provides assistance in the continuum from relief through recovery to development. It works to protect the lives and bring humanitarian relief to vulnerable people threatened by natural disaster, armed conflict or economic adversity. SIF is a member of the worldwide Islamic Relief family which carries out interventions in more than 30 countries around the world through its operations of emergency relief, rehabilitation and development. SIF has provided its help to disadvantaged people for over 17 years regardless of their cultural heritage, racial origin, religion, age or sex.