Tuesday’s Child Blog

Tuesday’s Child Returns to Gaza – Day 4

Thursday 9th July 2009

I waken at 6 a.m this morning with severe diarrhoea. It would seem that despite being careful and even having my alco-gel hand wash with me, I have succumbed. I reflect on what I have taken to eat or drink the previous day and cannot source the culprit. I drank a litre of local bottled water last night and I wonder if it is contaminated? I am lucky that I have access to a bathroom, and as a pharmacist, know how to look after myself. I think of the many children and elderly, who have no adequate bathroom facilities and wonder how they cope.

UNWRA have kindly arranged a full day intinerary for me to include visits to their food distribution centre, remedial education programme, health clinics, strawberry growing programme, a women’s community centre and the summer games. Saskia Marsh, specialist assistant the Director, picks me and Sabah up outside the hotel at 8.15 a.m. As with all UNRWA staff they have a driver and the vehicle is armoured for security reasons.

UNRWA pick up 8.15 a.m.

As we drive along I say my morning offering in the back of the car for I have not had a chance to pray this morning. I think back to my childhood and my father driving us to primary school each morning and in later years to grammar school and always starting with the same prayers – a prayer for protection and the morning offering for the day. A man of faith, truth and justice – a true gael. And my beautiful mother, who often lead the rosary in the car on longer trips. How fortunate we are to be blessed with wonderful parents to shape us, for children live what they learn from an early age. While they are both passed now, some 12 and 14 yrs, respectively, they are with me wherever I go and just picturing them, even for a moment, gives me peace, deep joy and love.

Our first stop is to one of the schools in the UNRWA summer learning programme. Summer Learning is part of UNRWA’S Schools of Excellence Initiative to arrest and reverse the decline in the quality and uptake of education in Gaza. Over the past 2 years, end of year exam failure rates here have approached 35% and parents are shocked in the decline in education as Gaza has always been proud of the standard of education here. Reasons for the high failure rates include: class size, an average of 41 and the impact of the siege and ongoing incursions. The full impact of Operation Cast Lead on school performance here is still to be realised.

The Summer Learning programme focuses on teaching of Arabic and Mathematics for all children, approximately, 45000, failing both subjects. The programme includes 1500 UNRWA teachers and class size is limited to a maximum of 25.

Boys in the UNRWA Summer Learning Programme

We are introduced to the Head Teacher here and we visit 6 of the classrooms. We have our supply of sweets with us and they go down a treat. The majority of children here say they prefer learning in the summer programme as: the classrooms are not as crowded, they have more individual tuition from the teacher, they are all working at the same level. Classes start at 7 a.m. to have minimal disruption to the day and attendance is almost 100 percent, incentivised by a meal at a school, provision of stationery to all children and awards to pupils, teachers and schools, for the top performing and most improved in an Awards Ceremony. A key incentive, explains the head teacher, is John Ging himself. “All the children know John and he tells them that a good education is each child’s individual responsibility; no-one can do it for them, they must take ownership of their own future”, he explains. The programme clearly works with a success rate of 81 percent in 2008. I am told later that the programme is called “Summer Learning”, in response to the Israeli ground operations of 2006 that claimed lives of main children, their so-called “Summer Rain”. Clever!

Saskia with pupils and teachers from the UNRWA Summer Learning Programme

I ask as I do with every group of children I meet in a learning environment, to each give me three things they are brilliant at. It often evokes surprised faces as children are often more used to being put down and criticised. The boys in the classes laugh and we have a range of answers – english, art, football, summer games and now of-course Arabic and mathematics, reflective of how this programme gives all important confidence in abilities. I offer that we can be good at a lot of things, not just in academic subjects, for example, sports, trades such as joinery and plumbing, helping out at home and being a good friend.

I also ask what they would like to be when they grow up and there are a whole range of high aspirations – doctors, engineers, scientists, lawyers, professional footballers. Great to hear so many dreams of a future in the wake of such suffering.

We wish them good luck and I say a prayer for all of them that God may protect them, help and support them through the injustices of daily life in Gaza. Most of all,that they continue to have hope for their future.

We return to the school office with the head teacher and some of the other staff for coffee. I accept but cannot drink the stuff here; it makes Turkish coffee seem extra mild. The team here are clearly motivated in their work and determined that all the children will pass their exams later this summer. Stuck to the top of the table a laminated picture of John Ging, the Head Teacher and former US President Jimmy Carter, who visited the strip last month. Quite a coup and I must remember to congratulate John Ging on it when I meet him next week.

Looking to education initiatives generally, UNRWA provided education to 200,000 refugee children in 6 elementary and 3 preparatory years. Non-refugee children attend Palestinian authority schools. Given the sheer numbers of children in Gaza, education is delivered via 221 schools in 124 buildings via double shifting, where one school will attend in the morning and another in the afternoon. Times are 7 a.m to 11.30 a.m and 11.45 a.m to 4.15 p.m. Operation Cast Lead hit at 11.30 a.m, the time clearly chosen to have the maximum impact on schoolchildren here – those leaving their school day and those starting their school day.

UNRWA has a 12 point action plan to promote Schools of Excellence generally. The plan is one of vision including the hope to recruit 1650 support teachers, build a teacher training college (no materials currently), improve school governance and a new programme for 2009 for special needs education. Currently, construction and repair of schools damaged by the war is a priority, again pending access for building materials, still not possible here 7 months on.

Central to the education programme is human rights education and an awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in an attempt to promote a greater understanding of dignity and justice for all and to help these children recover from the violence perpetrated on them with future regard for the rights of others.

Our next stop is UNRWA’s food distribution programme, based in Jabalyia, serving 750,000 refugees here, half of the Gazan population. As we drive in, we pass the shell of a building immediately adjacent to it. I wonder is this the UNRWA food store that was hit in the last days of the war?

Shell of a building beside the UNRWA food distribution centre

We meet Mohammed, the manager of the food distribution to 750,000 people, quite a responsibility. Food distribution here is on a 60 day cycle and divided into key stages. Each family has an identity card and a full record of what has been issued. There are 6 core items provided here including flower, rice and cooking oil. Food provided by UNRWA gives an estimated 60 percent of calorific needs.

UNRWA food distribution centre in Jabalyia

People waiting to have their coupons processed by the administration office

Each family has a food allocation book and people come to the window with their requests. The office is very busy here and there are many outside waiting for food. Requisitions are given to men who work to and from the store area and then bring food to another area where people collect their allocation.

Food requisitions are taken from the central office to the store

Mohammed with employees who fill food requisitions in the UNRWA food store

UNRWA food allocation on the way home to one family

In addition to food, UNRWA supply blankets and mattresses. I note their quality and I wish I had some like these for the families we help; these were donated from Japan.

UNRWA blankets and mattresses

In the donkey and cart park, some are there selling their goods to people coming and going for food and great to see that this is possible. UNRWA’s flexibility is commendable.

In addition to food assistance, UNRWA’s emergency programme includes support with delivery of critical water and sanitation services, shelter reconstruction for families whose homes were damaged in the war (although no building materials can access the strip as yet), cash assistance to help with purchase of house supplies and rental subsidies for the displaced. Also, a job creation programme employing 10,000 refugees and I will see more of this later.

We leave the busy food distribution centre and drive a short distance to visit a UNRWA community centre for women, also in Jabalyia. This is one of 18 centres providing community outreach to women, officially known as “Equality in Action” programme. The initiative is designed to improve the capacity of Palestinian girls and women to exercise freedom of choice, take advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development and to address inequality at all levels of social, economic and political life. This programme meets with considerable resistance and so no better woman to co-ordinate it than Layla, a very vibrant and enthusiastic lady who does not take no for an answer. Resistance to innovation and change is a universal problem.

Layla, co-ordinator of UNRWA’s community outreach for women with Saskia, UNRWA specialist assistant to the director

The community centre here gives space for local women to come and interact socially. They offer skills training, counselling and recreation e.g. films, library and encourage film and book review. They address important issues such as domestic violence and under-age marriage. The goals are: to empower women, to cultivate the right to freedom of opinion and self-expression and to seek and to receive and impart information and ideas through media, one of the articles of the Universal Declaration. Their current project is hoping to implement a radio station for women across the Gaza strip, again hampered by considerable resistance and lip service only, however if anyone can make it happen, Layla can!

There are a group of women from Jabalyia here today watching a film and discussing the issues it raises. We are invited to join them and I ask how the community centre and the services here have changed their lives. The answers give huge insight into the success and importance of the UNRWA Equality in Action programme: it gives us a chance to meet and make friends, we feel more informed, it is a break from the home for much needed me time, I am more confident in communicating, I am more confident in discussing difficult issues, I feel I am a better mother now in that I communicate with my children more effectively, I find it easier to parent my children and deal with difficulties at home and last but not least, I can escape from my mother-in-law for a few hours, to which everyone agrees in applause. Mother-in-laws, another universal problem. I ask if their husbands are happy that they come here and the general consensus is no, they don’t approve of it but they come anyway...the empowerment is clearly working. The women sing some songs and a special song matrimonial song for Saskia and then the party starts! One young woman sings solo and her voice is quite stunning; it could make millions. Maybe the X factor will come to Gaza. I will write to Simon Cowell!

Women in the community centre watching and reviewing a film

It is great to see these women coming together and enjoying themselves and forging new friendships. There is great community spirit among them and it is wonderful that they have this facility particularly in light of all they have suffered, not only from the recent war, but their long history of dealing with incursions, occupation and the hardship it has brought. It is, in these 4 days, the most uplifting experience since my arrival. I ask Layla what the most common requests for services from the centre are; counselling, support and help with stress management are the most common requests. UNRWA’s Equality in Action is clearly also Healing in Action and Human Development in Action.

Saskia joins in the dancing with women in the community centre in an impromptu boogie

We say good-bye and move on to visit an agricultural programme – the UNRWA funded strawberry fields. This programme is part of UNRWA’s job creation scheme and is just one example of assistance given to the agricultural and fishing sectors. Here the strawberry programme gives employment to formerly unemployed farmers and agricultural workers who can earn 40 shekels per day here. The fields were destroyed during the war, but recent growth is flourishing. The manager here is very informed, and he has many needs for his anticipated crop this year including nylon and most of all for the borders to open for export and if they are to make any money. I ask what the difference is in price - 2 shekels per punnet locally whereas he could get 15 shekels in Israel. Still, it’s good that the local community will benefit from the fruit for they don’t get nearly enough here. He is very proud of the small industry and acknowledges John Ging for making it possible for them. As with everyone we meet, they speak of John in high esteem and it is clear he is a man of vision and action.

UNRWA job creation programme assists a variety of sustainable small and large-scale labour intensive projects. Such projects include building irrigation systems, rehabilitating greenhouses, preparing, planting and harvesting a variety of crops and preparing fishing nets. Job creation programme employees also provide vital assistance in delivery of public health services and provision of sanitation services in refugee camps.

Strawberry fields showing decimated in the war, now showing new growth

Manager of the UNRWA funded strawberry project and some workers who benefit

The heat is searing now and the gastroenteritis is really cooking up as the vomiting kicks in. I have to walk away from the strawberry programme presentation and miss much of the statistics and what he has to say. I am embarrassed and apologise as it is clearly vital work of which he has much more to share. It can’t be very encouraging to have a foreigner visit your work only to throw up in the field opposite. I offer to come back to meet him another day. We return to the UNRWA offices and meet some of the other staff here, Johanna, Suzanne, Blake and Claire – a great team and clearly very committed to what they do. I have to call it a day now as really quite sick and they kindly take me back to my “hotel” with only half of their comprehensive itinerary completed, stopping en route for soft drinks as again only the same contaminated water available.

I am too ill to move hotels and spend the rest of the day between the bathroom and the bed. The diarrhoea is vile and now unchecked by anti-diarrhoeal medicine. It is infective so I stop the tablets in the hope that it will run its course. I am quite dehydrated but do not want to risk the water again, so open cans of coke and 7 UP and leave them to sit and drink flat soft drinks, although I could murder a bottle of Evian as my tongue feels like sandpaper I am so dry. I sleep for some hours and waken from a bad dream in which I am in the strawberry fields and can’t go forward or back as I am surrounded by cockroaches!

Sabah phones to see how I am and, as many times, asks me kindly to come and stay with her. I promise to do so on my next visit, for she, as many here, is tired and needs her space and rest. I lift my little volume again and open at random: “My children, I am with you...today, I want you to both hear these words and understand them. I am with you. Does that mean I watch you from heaven hoping all goes well with you? Does it mean I gaze out over my whole world, seeing only the large events? No, I am with you my child. That means I see the world from your eyes, I am there when you are hurt. I feel the sting of human unkindness when you experience it. I feel the weakness and pain in your body, when you are sick. My compassionate gaze, so filled with love and understanding, rests upon your every minute of the day. I forgive any sins even before they are committed. But you must admit your sin and ask for forgiveness. My child do not think you have been abandoned, I say with divine solemnity, I am with you”. As I read over these words again, I realise they are not only for me, but for Gaza, for this little 25 mile strip of land, bullied by the great powers of the world, is almost child-like. Given that, He is here, I ask Him, to bring an end to this cruel blockade for these people have suffered too much. For with Him, all things are possible.

If you are in a position to help any of the families we met during our time in Gaza, please contact us at info@tuesdayschild.co.uk or donate online here »

Continue to read Day 5 »