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To underpin a future peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We are addressing trauma in children and Young people affected by the conflict, to build their resilience, dignity and trust. Professionals from both sides have worked together to create a successful model for intervention in schools.

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Categories

  • Disaster Relief Disaster Relief
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Human Rights/Advocacy Human Rights/​Advocacy
  • Poverty Alleviation/Relief Poverty Alleviation/​Relief
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)

    Situation

    Israelis and Palestinians have lived for years with a lethal cocktail of political violence, from suicide bombings to missile attacks and house demolitions. Significant numbers of children witnessing violent events, or living with the fear that they may become a victim, have not been able to make sense of their experiences and often have no one to talk to. A considerable proportion of young people develop significant distress symptoms following exposure to conflict, symptoms which may impact on their long-term development. The school-based intervention of CHERISH, partnered by One to One Children’s Fund and led by Danny Brom of the Israel Centre for Psycho-trauma and Professor Mohammed Shaheen, Dean of Public Health at Al-Quds University, addresses the mental health of children on both sides. A major component of the programme is the collaboration and mutual understanding between Israeli and Palestinian professionals working towards shared goals, breaking down barriers between them. Despite challenges along the way, the project created a model which can now be scaled up to reach many more children. Two communities in Acco and Bethlehem received integrative trauma healing and resilience building programmes in the wake of exposure to the conflict. Israeli and Palestinian students are screened for trauma related distress and are offered intervention programmes to reduce their symptoms and enhance their resilience. Those with severe symptoms are referred for treatment by the CHERISH professionals. Because the programme was so successful in Acco, the Municipality decided to roll out this programme to schools across the city. As a result, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) a US government agency, became interested in evaluating this school-based intervention, a first of its kind in the world. The evaluation shows a marked improvement in the well-being of children involved in the programme. We are committed to help extend the CHERISH school-based intervention model to many more Israeli and Palestinian communities. Each joint Israeli-Palestinian community intervention costs £250,000, to include training of school teachers, counsellors and professional support and intervention where necessary. We are ready to undertake two further CHERISH Schools initiatives in 2010.

    Solution

    100%
    Categories

  • Disaster Relief Disaster Relief
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Human Rights/Advocacy Human Rights/​Advocacy
  • Poverty Alleviation/Relief Poverty Alleviation/​Relief
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)