Peace and Reconciliation Palestine Project #52443

Bring peace and hope in the Holy Land

by Associazione pro Terra Sancta

Project Report | Nov 20, 2024
A psychosocial project in Deir al-Balah

By Emma Garroni | Project Leader

The Pro Terra Sancta and Atfaluna project in Gaza

In the Deir al-Balah refugee camp in Gaza, we have launched a project in collaboration with the NGO Atfaluna, providing emergency support services: Inclusive emergency support services for people with and without disabilities affected by the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

“It has been over a year since the conflict began, and we can no longer limit ourselves to humanitarian aid alone; we need to work on a programmatic level as well,” explains Fida Sharaf, Atfaluna's External Relations Manager, in an interview. “We must focus on psychosocial support and educational and recreational activities. We achieve this through protection interventions for both adults and children, with and without disabilities.”

Thanks to psychosocial support sessions, many people have found help in processing and accepting their trauma, including numerous children.

Ten-year-old Rahab discovered poetry as a powerful tool for expression and healing during her psychological sessions. Rahab lost her mother and sister in this war; all she has left are her grandparents, a tent in the refugee camp, and a pain she has managed to channel into poetry.

Referring to the team that supportend her throughout this journey, Rahab says: “They managed to lift my spirits and change my environment. They helped me find a way to cope with my pain, to begin healing.”

Supporting organizations like Atfaluna means contributing to the success of humanitarian efforts on the field, in Palestine and in other countries as well. Acting on the field through organizations already present there helps us in better understanding our beneficiaries, their stories, and their needs.

Rahab.

The Pro Terra Sancta and Atfaluna project in Gaza.

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Jul 1, 2024
Echoes of Courage: Gaza Women at our offices

By Giacomo Pizzi | Project Leader

Fawziyya, one of the three women hosted by Pts

In recent months, the Bethlehem offices of Pro Terra Sancta have become a refuge for three courageous women from Gaza.

All three women have a story in common: a sick son, the need to treat him, the trips from one hospital to another, and then the impossibility of returning to Gaza.

"In Gaza there are no facilities to provide my daughter with the necessary care. Initially, we went to Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv, where my daughter underwent open-heart surgery, and where she was implanted with a heart battery to help her heart survive." Says Hana, one of the three women.

“If we left Bethlehem to go back to our city, we would have to accept that we could no longer leave Gaza, that we could no longer return here. We can't afford it: our children need care, we can't risk not returning to Bethlehem. We must wait for them to give us permissions, which means, we must wait until war is over.” Adds Fawziyya.

Far from their homes in Gaza, these women have found not just shelter, but also a supportive environment where they can rebuild their lives. As one of the women expressed, "Being here has given me a chance to breathe, to think about what comes next."

Pro Terra Sancta has provided more than just physical shelter; it has offered these women a community of solidarity and empowerment. Through various programs and initiatives, including vocational training and counseling sessions, these women are gaining the skills and confidence needed to envision a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Dima, the third one, is grateful for the possibility of receiving psychological support "Now the most important thing for people in Gaza would be to have access to psychological help: parents no longer know how to take care of their children, because of the anxiety of not being able to feed them and be a safe haven for them. We can survive without food, but not without the support and upbringing of those we love."

The three women attending training courses

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Feb 22, 2024
Alongside the displaced in Gaza

By Giacomo Pizzi | Project Leader

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