Organized ‘recreation
days’ relieve stress for children in Gaza
25 July 2008
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© UNICEF video |
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Face-painting is just one of several activites
taking place at a UNICEF-sponsored recreational
event for young people affected by violence in
Gaza. |
By
Monica Awad
GAZA, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 25 July 2008 –
Every day, children and adolescents throughout the Gaza
Strip suffer from the disruption of basic services and
deteriorating living standards. The children of Shoka, a
small Bedouin area bordering with Israel, are no
exception.
Prior to the June 2008 Israeli-Palestinian truce,
children here witnessed incursions and violence on a
daily basis. Afraid to venture out, families cowered in
their homes – many without electricity and water.
“I
felt shaken and scared,” said Qasem Al Rasoud, a
12-year-old boy living in Shoka.
Feelings of insecurity and distress are all too common
for children who witness violence. Often, they perform
poorly in school, or drop out altogether.
“Some children have behavioural problems. Fear from
sexual harassment, school drop outs and low school
performance are common,” said Project Coordinator Abdel
Qader Abu Jleidan of the Palestinian Centre for
Democracy and Conflict Resolution (PCDCR).
A
breakthrough for children
UNICEF is working to provide a respite from the stress
and violence by scheduling recreational outings. The
idea is to provide children the opportunity to play,
have fun and simply be themselves.
“The most important thing for children is to remind them
of that they are children, so that they live through
this cycle of their life in a positive way,” said Mr.
Abu Jleidan.
Recently, Qasem and 250 other children from Shoka spent
the day at the beach, free of reminders of their
difficult daily routine. There were potato sack races,
face painting and dancing, as well as swimming in the
Mediterranean.
“I
have been to field trips, but nothing like this one.
This time it is different, I feel safer and happier,”
said Ghadeer Al Kilani, 12.
So
far, over 9,600 children have taken part in such
recreational activities as part of a UNICEF/PCDCR joint
programme funded by the European Commission Humanitarian
Aid department (ECHO).
Providing psycho-social assistance
“Psycho-social interventions are very important for
children. It improves their well-being by giving them to
chance to express themselves, play and interact with
their peers as a means to reducing their stress” said
Reem Tarazi, Project Officer, UNICEF.
In
partnership with ECHO, UNICEF has provided psycho-social
assistance for over 17,700 children and adolescents, as
well as in-depth counseling for over 2,000. UNICEF has
also helped provide socio-legal assistance to more than
1,750 children through three centres, along with
setting up a toll-free hotline.
Meanwhile, as violence affects the well-being of
children in the West Bank and Gaza, requests for
assistance from UNICEF-supported teams continue to
increase.
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/oPt_44863.html
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