Children make up over half of Gaza's 1.5 million population. The traumatic experience of the 2008 - 2009 violence has left many with continuing psychological trauma, in addition to physical injuries, the loss of family members and damaged homes. Their young lives have continued under difficult material circumstances, as a large number of families are living in poverty and unemployment, and many school facilities have been damaged. Over the last five months, ACTED has been implementing a psycho-social support and nutrition programme to assist children in Gaza, with the financial support of USAID.
"Ali became like a little monster. He wanted to get into fights with all the other kids. He was always thinking about the fire that burnt his house. He refused to eat and was terrified." Sabah, mother of five year-old Ali, relates how her son changed after an aerial bomb hit their home during the fightings that took place over eighteen months ago. The extent of the violences' psychological impact on Gaza's children cannot yet be fully assessed, but the effects are already there to be seen.
ACTED has been assisting 1,550 children
During the 2009-2010 school year, ACTED has been assisting 1,550 children like Ali by way of a psycho-social and nutrition programme in nine private kindergartens of Gaza. The programme provided training in child counseling and psycho-social support techniques for 61 teachers and 20 volunteers, who then led daily play sessions at the kindergartens. ACTED also distributed a hot lunch every day to the children to ensure proper nutrition at this critical phase of their development. This is a great help to families as well, in a context where UNDP reports that nearly 80% of the population lives in poverty, and that 61% is food insecure, according to the World Food Programme.
Support for the children continued over the holiday period with a summer fun-day programme and a serie of beach visits, with meals, games and activities coordinated by the trained volunteers. The children's mothers came along to the beach visits, which provided them a break from the hardships of daily life as well. Many were reluctant to leave the beach at the end of the day. One mother commented: "This is the first time I have had the chance to visit and enjoy the beach, even though I have lived in Gaza all my life".
Ali's mother is delighted with the changes she has seen in her son. "After this project started, I noticed that my son was becoming more relaxed. He arrived home bouncing and playing, and he started to study more. I feel so happy when he comes back home and sings songs for me, does his homework, and waters the flowers that he loves." Nevertheless, recovery from this trauma will take time but "the kindergarten and this project are taking good care of him and helped him greatly so far".