Corrie Foundation seeks funds to support Gaza children
The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice is proudly partnering with the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project (MRSCP) and the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) for the third time to fund the Samira Project: Academic and Psychological Support for Gaza Kids in Rafah.
Organized by the Rafah branch of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC), this project supports 180 economically disadvantaged and learning-disabled children age six to twelve, and their families, in Gaza who lack access to appropriate educational programs and psychological support.
This project, conducted from February 1 to June 7, 2018, costs just over $14,000 and RCF has committed to providing $2,000 in funding support-but we need your help!
Since 2007, Israel has enforced a land, sea and air military siege on the people of the Gaza Strip. This blockade has negative impacts on many aspects of daily life, including early childhood development and education. Following repeated full-scale assaults on the Gaza Strip especially in 2008-2009, 2011 and 2014, along with severe restriction on imports, many schools remain damaged by war and repairs are still needed.
As a result of limited construction on school buildings, more than 94% of schools operate on a double-shift basis hosting one group of students in the morning and another group in the afternoon. Because of the implicit violence and systematic disruptions to the education system, the educational access and developmental needs of many children are tremendously downgraded. The children of Gaza deserve much better.
The objectives of the Samira Project are:
- Developing children’s skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, increasing their ability to learn.
- Supporting children psychologically and socially to rebuild their confidence.
- Attending to learning disabilities and working with children to reduce violent and disruptive behavior.
- Training families to better support their children with learning disabilities.
- Creating job opportunities for qualified professionals (special education teachers and a social worker) in this field.
The project employs special education teachers and a social worker to provide the psycho-social support to those children. Included is a photo of the 17 teachers, 2 psychologists, 1 activities coach and the project coordinator that went through 3 days of training (Feb 2018) which included learning how to assess the behavioral problems of children and how to deal with those behaviors; time management and preparing of academic plan and reports; and active learning and educational games. Through field trips, a children’s library, and activities such as theater, music, art, and reading, the staff has created a safe space for these children to meet the project objectives.
How will your funds help?
- $60 will pay for snacks for students for one month.
- $100 will buy art and paper supplies for one month.
- $120 will employ an activity coach (at 60%) for one month.
- $250 will employ 8 teachers for one month of the project.
- $300 will employ a Social Worker for one month of the project.
- $315 will pay for a Psychology trainer for 15 hours.
- $600 will pay for 180 students to take one recreational trip.
Will you help us provide $2,000 to fully fund this project?
Click the “Donate” Button below and select “Gaza Projects”.
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
Click here to send Ray Hanania email.
Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
Click here to send Ray Hanania email.
Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
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