By Emma Garroni | Project assistant
In Bethlehem, there is a home that opens its doors to children from all across the West Bank. It is called SOS Village—a place where children with histories of loss and trauma can find people who care for them and build a community they truly feel part of.
“SOS Village Palestine had two houses: one in Bethlehem, which welcomed children from the entire West Bank, and another in the Gaza Strip, in Rafah, which served children from Gaza,” explains Annalisa Greco, our project manager in Bethlehem.
Today, the Rafah facility—along with all the children and staff—has relocated to Bethlehem. It is in this context that Pro Terra Sancta came into contact with SOS Village, and over time, a meaningful and mutually beneficial partnership began to grow.
“The challenge is integrating these children into the local context of Bethlehem,” says Annalisa. “We’re talking about kids carrying significant trauma, who lived for months—from October 2023 to the following April—in a state of open war. Suddenly, they found themselves in Bethlehem: a community that is more open than Gaza, with a very different lifestyle. Even the impact of the war is different here compared to the Strip.”
The goal, first and foremost, was to help them feel at home—even if only temporarily. This urgent need marked the beginning of the practical collaboration between Pro Terra Sancta and SOS Village: our role is to welcome children who have experienced deep pain, and to build around them a close-knit support network, so they can feel part of something, not marginalized, not abandoned—for perhaps the first time in their lives.
“The activities we propose are very simple,” continues Annalisa. “We organized trips to discover the landscape of the West Bank, visited Bethlehem’s central market to buy ingredients and cook together, and planned creative workshops where the children could make something beautiful—and therapeutic—together. These are small things, but they truly help build strong bonds and offer these children a new vision for their future.”
Alongside the distribution of basic necessities and the direct organization of cultural and artistic activities, Pro Terra Sancta in Bethlehem also supports local institutions that play a crucial role in safeguarding and sustaining the population. By working together, we can reach more people—and make a greater difference.
By Francesca | Francesca
By Giacomo Pizzi | Project Leader
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