COVID19: Education & Food for Palestinian Children

With the fall session halfway over and the Thanksgiving season rapidly upon us, here at TYO we’re pausing to give thanks for yet another successful season of programming- a feat that wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our friends like you. From English classes for our youngest students to the revival of our popular Triple Exposure Photography classes for our oldest, TYO continues to refine and develop its schedule to ensure we are providing our children with unique and meaningful avenues through which they can re-discover open expression and find themselves in their emotions. In particular, this session students have been learning about the importance of developing their perceptions of identity and place within their community. These topics were selected to expose children the idea that they are valuable in- and responsible for- their community, which boosts their own sense of belonging.

Staying true to its mission, TYO’s commitment to enhancing the community goes far beyond the classroom. This fall, TYO’s dedicated international staff, interns, fellow, and volunteers lent some helping hands to area farmers, assisting with the annual olive harvest. TYO traveled to Nus Ijbeil- a small village about 15 minutes north of Nablus- and was placed with a family courtesy of Cannan- a fair trade company that helps bring Palestinian products to market across the US and Europe. Olive byproducts are one of the mainstays of the Palestinian economy and harvesting is an extra tedious manual process, so the extra hands were greatly appreciated!

Here’s a few snapshots from this fall: 

International Interns and Fellows: This fall, 6 interns from Canada, England, and the United States joined the team at TYO- Zak, Cynthia, Rosie, Jessica, Noah, and Rachel. During their time here, the interns have been extra busy, leading creative, action-filled classes that serve kids from TYO's target areas, teaching English classes to preschool children in TYO’s Core program, and conducting health, fitness, and IT classes for TYO’s Women’s Group.

TYO has also been pleased to host our very first Zahi Khouri Fellow, Reema. The Zahi Khouri Fellowship Program provides Palestinian American students and graduates the experience of professional development in Palestine at TYO. Amongst other things, Reema has been working closely with teachers in the Core program to implement TYO’s pilot English language learning program for young children.

Core Child Program: This fall, TYO’s passionate and vibrant group of Core teachers have been placing extra emphasis on the role of community in order to help our children value their individual qualities and the qualities of those around them. Daily, our children confront issues such as domestic violence, neglect, and physical and emotional forms of punishment.  They come to TYO feeling as though they are not “worth it.”  They have not been taught to appreciate their self-worth, and they have not been given the tools to improve their self-image.  Through psychosocial-focused lesson plans and activities, we aim to prove to our children that they are worth it. 

Youth Service Learning: Earlier this fall, TYO was proud to honor one of our dedicated volunteers with the second annual Youth Service Learning Scholarship. Salah Khateeb, who is currently a student at Al-Quds Open University, explains how working with TYO has allowed him to further develop his personal and professional skills. “I couldn’t imagine myself standing in front of a large group to give a presentation, but TYO has helped me develop my communication and presentation skills,” he says. His experience at TYO has also taught him how to be patient, especially with children, “I can now say that I know how to control myself with children and how to deal with them, which has reflected on my life in general.”

Stay tuned for next session’s updates, and on behalf of refugee children of Nablus, thanks for your continued support!

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