Love, Learning, and Support for Gaza's Children

Education is a fundamental human right, but how can it be prioritized when basic needs like food and water are difficult to access? This is the challenge that educators in Gaza are facing. With your support, Rebuilding Alliance has been helping teachers, who were once part of our afterschool program, to provide social-emotional support for children.

In January, Rebuilding Alliance purchased tents, desks, tables, and whiteboards to set up temporary classrooms at our shelter [location not disclosed to ensure the safety of our staff]. Unfortunately, most of these supplies were lost during the unprecedented attack in Rafah in March, resulting in a loss of $4,000 worth of educational materials.

While the pop-up school tents were still intact, roughly a dozen children attended the tent regularly to access therapeutic and social support through learning opportunities like art classes, storytelling and guided playtime. The pop-up school was also used as a meeting location for community members and women's groups. 

Nermeen, our amazing art teacher, led the effort and even hosted community events for women and the disabled. She shared the following report:

• A special meeting was held for women from the Ithar Palestine Association for Community Development and Charity, titled 'Psychological Relief Through Play and Drawing.'
• A drawing workshop was held for children by the Tamer Institute for Education, "Painting a Mural."
• A session was held for women before leaving the camp. It was a wonderful day, and Mr. Rafiq made a surprise visit to the camp. He welcomed us all and wished us safety.

"I hope that Rebuilding will continue to offer such activities and support the educational tent.”

In mid-February, Nermeen relocated to Rafah with the bulk of supplies, only to evacuate weeks later when the broken ceasefire forced a mass exodus from Rafah, which reports now show to be a wasteland. RA school supplies were likely destroyed. Fortunately, a dozen or so desks were rescued and remain in RA’s warehouse. 

Right now, it is not safe to gather children due to the heightened risk of being targeted. Movement must be kept to a minimum. Once there is a semblance of safety again, we plan to consolidate the learning program under the Women’s Program Centre, led by our long-time partner, Mrs. Najah. This will allow our teachers immediate access to more resources and an existing education community. RA plans to continue providing the salaries for teachers as well as a monthly stipend for supplies like stationery.

With your support, we can provide a brighter future for Gaza's children through education. Thank you for all that you do.

There are no words to describe the ongoing human tragedy in Gaza. We’re heartbroken to see what’s happening to the children in Gaza. No child deserves this. 

It is a relief though that all the children enrolled in the afterschool program are okay. Traumatized but okay. All four teachers, their coordinator, and the head of the Women Programs Center (WPC), Mrs. Najah are also okay. The WPC, which hosts the after-school program classes, has been helping the displaced families in Gaza since the war started, providing them with hot meals, food parcels, clothing, shelter, and so much more. 

At the moment we’re working on a plan to enable the teachers to help the children in their neighborhood. The most pressing need for people in Gaza is food, water, and clothing. 

Everyone is in great need, there is an acute shortage of everything including food supplies. Whatever is available is very expensive. Our talented teachers are also struggling. We need your help to pay the salaries of the teachers. 

Teachers will be extending emotional support to children when the ceasefire comes. We will be needing your unwavering support to heal these children. Please reach out to your circle of friends and family and tell them about this program that will be our top-most priority after the ceasefire. 

May ceasefire and peace come soon. 

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As you can understand, our program is on hold for safety concerns. I’m sharing images of the children from before the war. Their happy faces seem like a thing of the past. 

Before the war came, the after-school program was doing an amazing job and did an impressive amount of work. With the help of their teachers, children made amazing things. An exhibition was organized in August at the Women Programs Center-Rafah where all four talented teachers, Artist Laila Kassab, Nermeen Kassab, Ruwaida Amer, and Maha Eisa put their amazing work on display. Children proudly presented their work to their parents visiting the exhibition. 

The afterschool program in Rafah provides plenty of opportunities for children to get creative. Art and creativity can help children develop into creative, and curious learners.Art teachers encouraged children in the afterschool program to express their creativity through art and other activities.

• Children created beautiful pen holders with the help of their teachers.
• The sea is the favorite place of children. Children made adorable sea creatures. 
• Using colored clay, children recently made beautiful things--flowers, ice creams, fruits, etc. 
• Children also made beautiful and colorful peacocks.

Scientific concepts were taught to children in the most interesting and fun way. 

• Children built a Food Pyramid and learned how much they should eat from each food group to stay healthy and energetic and maintain a balanced diet. 
• Children learned about microscopes and its function. They also created a microscope by using cardboard. 

In English class, children were taught the structure of a simple sentence (subject-verb-object), present simple tense, present continuous tense, etc. 

One last thing—sharing our project with your family and friends helps us spread the word about our work and continue to grow our community of supporters like you. If you’re willing to share the story of our work with your network, we’d be incredibly grateful.