Quaker Service Norway appeal for Gazan kindergarten community
Written by Arnstein Finset, Clerk of Kvekerhjelp
Through the news media, we are reminded daily of how terrible the situation is for the people of Gaza. Quaker Service Norway has maintained contact with our partner in Gaza, the Palestinian Early Childhood Education Program (PECEP), ever since the war started on 7 October last year.
None of the 13 kindergartens that PECEP runs has been in operation after 7 October 2023, and several of them have been destroyed in the hostilities. We hope to get started with activities as soon as possible.
What does Kvekerhjelp do in this situation?
After the kindergartens closed in October last year, the staff in the kindergartens have been without pay. A large part of the salary expenses is covered through parental allowance. After the war started, these incomes disappeared. Kvekerhjelp has therefore sent money to PECEP on two occasions, once before Christmas and once in February, to be distributed as emergency aid to the employees to compensate for the loss of income. Most of the employees have fled their homes, and many of them are now based in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza. It has been possible to distribute the funds from the shipment before Christmas to around 90% of the employees. QSN is now planning to send more funds for the employees of PECEP.
PECEP has also wanted to initiate activities for the children in Rafah, who have been displaced from their homes or in Gaza. Many of the children are heavily traumatized and marked by their experiences in the war. PECEP plans guidance for parents in the refugee camps on how best to help traumatized children to prevent long-term trauma reactions. Kvekerhjelp gives top priority to supporting these projects.
PECEP has been able to start the planned Open Days for children in three kindergartens. At right are photographs from the first Open Day held in April in Rafah Kindergarten A.
The chairman of the PECEP Board told QSN that they “…are working on implementing the suggested open days project in the next period and it will include, additional to the previous proposal, meetings with mothers in refugees shelters to raise awareness with the proper ways to deal with their kids during the difficult situation of the war” Quaker Service Norway will certainly support such a program, and thinks that counselling to parents is extremely important. If possible, this will be implemented in collaboration with Gaza Community Mental Health Program.
Quaker Service Norway has regular contact with Quakers in a number of countries in Europe through meetings in EMES (Europe and Middle East Section). EMES’ Peace and Service Network has its own ad hoc group on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. There is great interest among the participants in this collaboration for Kvekerhjelp’s projects. We therefore offer the opportunity for Friends to contribute to support this work, using the details below:
Quaker Service Norway/
Kvekerhjelp
Grønland 12
0188 Oslo, Norway
Clerk: Arnstein Finset
IBAN NO8112542008081
BIC/SWIFT CULTNOK1
