"I discovered that I could draw when I stayed at home during the COVID-19 lockdown! There was spare time that I wanted to fill with purpose. I found myself drawing. But I could not tell anyone or show my drawings to anyone, even my family," says Afaf Sabah, a 13-year-old Palestine refugee in the UNRWA Jabalia Preparatory 'A' School in Gaza.
Afaf is one of thousands of Palestine refugee children who have struggled with the consequences of 15 years of blockade, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on education, and repeated cycles of violence in Gaza. The May 2021 hostilities, the most intense Gaza has experienced since 2014, have added psychological trauma to the existing social, economic and financial stress Palestine refugees have been living under, especially for children. Following the May hostilities, the incidence of psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD) has risen significantly, with about 25 per cent of children in Gaza requiring psychological support.
UN Secretary-General Guterres described the situation as follows: "If there is hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza today."
In spite of it all, Afaf is doing her best to maintain academic excellence and is among the top in her class. Her journey towards art began during the COVID-19 lockdown when she had to stay at home with her family. "During the May 2021 conflict, I felt that I wanted to put all my feelings in drawing," she says.
Her art teacher, Mariam Masri, comments, "I noticed that her lines are strong and that she incorporates thoughts and reflections into her art. However, she does not yet have the confidence to share her paintings with others. This is why I suggested her participation in the UNRWA after-school activities could help develop her talent and strengthen her self-confidence."
Afaf soon enrolled in the After School Activities (ASA) project of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Services (MHPSS) programme. Developed by education and MHPSS specialists in response to the heightened need for mental health and psychosocial support in the
aftermath of the May hostilities, ASA was designed to take place in UNRWA schools.
ASA was successfully implemented during the first half of the 2021/2022 academic year, targeting a total of 3,280 children who had developed psychosocial issues across 77 UNRWA schools. Out of 3280 participants who registered for the MHPSS After School Activities, a total of 3,252 children, or almost 94 per cent, attended the activities, speaking to the high relevance of ASA.
These activities have made Afaf realize she wants to be an artist and have helped her visualize her future: "I want to send a message to the world through my art. The children of Gaza have the right to a better life, without conflict and violence. How can I enjoy my childhood with all this violence around? No one can."
The psychosocial support UNRWA provides for Gaza children is very essential. It is a basic right for children to live, learn and play in a safe and stimulating environment. This helps in building better mental health for our children. During the After School Activities, UNRWA provided safe and comprehensive services considering the privacy and confidentiality of children.
UNRWA has been able to respond to the pressing and wide-spread mental health and psychosocial needs of Palestine refugees children in Gaza directly impacted by the May hostilities thanks to a US$ 2.5 million grant it received from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) towards the UNRWA Flash Appeal: Hostilities in Gaza and Mounting Tensions in the West Bank. Of this, approximately 70 per cent went towards supporting Mental Health and Psychosocial After School Activities and Summer School Activities, with the TSCA, with the remainder both in Gaza.
