Projects for Children – Middle East Children's Alliance

Summer Fun & Healing for Children in Palestine

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:30:36 +0000

“I dreamed of riding a bicycle and when I came to this camp, my dream came true.”
– Somaya, Khuza’a, Gaza, Summer 2023

Summer Fun in Palestine 2022

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 11:01:46 +0000

When we think about the lives of children in Palestine we don’t usually think of fun. We think of soldiers, settlers, checkpoints, military attacks, arrests, and home demolitions. But in the midst of these constant threats, children in Palestine, like children everywhere, look forward to a break from school, and to enjoying outings and special activities.

Over the summer, MECA’s partner organizations gave more than 2,000 kids in ten locations throughout East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip the chance to make art, learn traditional dance and embroidery, go on field trips, make up stories, play sports, and just be children. Girls in Gaza get to ride bikes and play soccer for the first time. Children in East Jerusalem get away from violent settlers who attack them when they go outside to play, from the traumatizing sight of home demolitions, and from the police who routinely detain and arrest young people.

As Israeli violence in Jenin continues and a thousand families in the southern West Bank village of Masafer Yatta face expulsion, summer camp gives children a sense of safety and joy. And while illegal settlements steal Palestinian water for large, luxurious swimming pools for Israeli children, swimming is a very special treat for Palestinian children. For some kids, these camps are their only chance to swim during the long, hot summer.

PaliRoots Meal Program: Providing Nutritious Meals for Children in Gaza

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Tue, 18 May 2021 09:18:18 +0000

With the population of Gaza reaching close to 2 million and over 50% under the age of 18, it is our duty to help ease the living situation due to the ongoing siege in Gaza. Our work primarily focuses on children as they are the future hope for Palestine.

We partnered with PaliRoots to do a 3-month pilot program to research food and nutrient deficiency in four kindergartens in some of the poorest areas of the Gaza Strip. We found that among the 372 children at these kindergartens, 37% were anemic, 4.1% were stunted, 23% were at risk of stunting, 3% were underweight, 20.5% were overweight, and 14.2% were obese.

At the end of the pilot program, the results showed a significant improvement in the health of the children. This also increased their desire to attend school more regularly. Their attention and behavior improved as well. With the support of the PaliRoots community, we are thrilled to continue this project and seeing the happy faces from the parents, teachers, and children makes us even more excited to continue this beautiful work.

Psychological Support for Children with Chronic Diseases

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 12:01:14 +0000

Daily life in Gaza is hard for any child and most have some kind of emotional distress. For Children with chronic diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, kidney and respiratory disorders face additional challenges. Their families are stressed by worry and the demands of caring for a sick child. They are often bullied or rejected by other children.

MECA is supporting a groundbreaking project run by the Community Training Center and Crisis Management in Gaza to address the psychological and social needs of children with chronic diseases. twelve weekly sessions at a local hospitals include a variety of activities to address issues like expressing feelings, physical strengths and weaknesses, how to deal with conflict, desires and ambitions, making friends, cooperation, how to deal with bullying, and more.

Parents report that children who used to dread going to the hospital, now look forward to the sessions. One mother reported that her child quarreled with a taxi driver because he was late for the hospital and feared to be delayed for project activities. Another said, “My son who is diabetes was not ashamed anymore to take the insulin in front of his brothers or friends.”

Samir, a twelve-year-old boy, said “The best thing I have done is to participate in the activities because they changed me very much. I have the ability to express myself strongly. Even I sleep at night in a good way because I do what I have learned in the sessions.” His mother added, “My son returned to his normal status. He has friends and sleep very well at night. Thanks Allah and thanks for your help.”

Cycling and Sports for Girls in Gaza

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 11:06:11 +0000

Since a very young age, 6 or so, I had a deep passion of riding a bike but I never knew how to. The first time I rode the bike was in the MECA project. The trainer held my hand and helped me through it. I loved that. When I ride, I feel like I’m flying and no one can stop me! — Inas, age 14

With funds from The Big Ride for Palestine, MECA organized a pilot sports project for more than 200 girls in Gaza. The project offered girls the chance to learn and practice different sports in a safe environment as well as educational workshops on mental and physical health, nutrition, early marriage and more.

Healthy Food for Schoolchildren

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 22:39:30 +0000

Palestinian children need strong bodies because we are first and foremost living under occupation. When the occupation is combined with poverty, this is an impossible situation for the children. —Um Hassan, farmer, mother, grandmother, and the first woman elected to the Village Council

A group of women in the Palestinian village of Masara took over the village’s school kitchens, got rid of all the junk food. Now, they come in every day at 5:30 am to prepare fresh, healthy lunches and snacks for 400 children. MECA has helped the women in Masara purchased kitchen equipment, supplies and a second water tank to address the water shortage Palestinians face.

Girls’ Basketball for Refugees

Josina Shields-Stromsness — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:54:30 +0000

Palestinian and Syrian refugees living in and around Baalbeck Refugee Camp in Lebanon have a new basketball team for girls ages nine to fourteen. After they learn the game, they’ll play against other local teams. When they’re not playing, the project staff and volunteers will lead workshops on first aid, life skills, conflict resolution, hygiene, menstruation, and psychological health.

Education for Syrian Refugees

Deborah Agre — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 18:32:39 +0000

I used to have a peaceful life and live in my amazing home in Deraa [Syria]. I enjoyed the nature around my house and the food coming from the land. The brutality of the civil war forced my family to leave this house and to start the journey to be refugees.

I am behind two years in school because of moving from one school to another. I want to finish my education, to help my family, and to help other people that want to learn. —Shafaq, 14 years old

MECA’s partners in Lebanon have established classes for children who have fled the violence in Syria and who are not able to enroll in local schools. They are studying Math, English, and Arabic reading and writing. The children also participate in sports, field trips, art, storytelling and drama classes, visits to a mobile library, and workshops in human rights.

Support Team for Children who’ve been Arrested

Deborah Agre — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 18:30:56 +0000

“Imagine a 5, 6, 7-year-old child being arrested. The impact of the child—even if he is eighteen—is very big. The child, his mother, his father, his sisters and brothers, even the neighbors are affected.” -Sahar Boudon, Deputy Director of the Madaa Creative Center

The Madaa Creative Center in Silwan, East Jerusalem created a team to help children who’ve been arrested and their families. The team is made up of a lawyer to advocate for the child through the entire legal process; a psychologist to work closely with the child and his family; an Activities Coordinator to engage him in community activities with peers, and make sure he returns to school; as well as a researcher and videographer to document the arrests for evidence and advocacy efforts.

New Books, New Readers

admin — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 20:49:22 +0000

I did not imagine that reading stories aloud is something very important for me and my kids, from this moment I will devote time every day to read to my children. —Nermin, a mother who attended a training in Gaza with Palestine Writing Workshop Director Maya Abu Alhayyat

MECA funded the publication of five beautiful new children’s book by contemporary Palestinian writers and illustrators, along with reading-aloud training and free books for women in several West Bank communities. As children are exposed to new stories and experience the joys of being read to, their reading skills along with their love of books and learning increases. Two of the new books won the prestigious Etisalat Awards for Arabic Children’s Literature. Berkat Al Asela Al Zarqa’a (The Pool of Blue Questions), written by Maya Abu Alhayyat, illustrated by Hassan Monasira won the award in the Best Production category and Bolqosh, written and illustrated by Yara Bamieh won for Best Illustration.