Let’s talk about football in areas of conflict – The HOPE Project
After-school activities for the psychosocial well-being of disadvantaged and marginalized youth
In a conflict, children are the most susceptible and affected, with no influence over the incoming. Their daily lives, including school, friendships, and, most significantly, socialisation in society, are disrupted. Additionally, the daily obstacles that Palestinian refugee children face include a variety of protection-related issues such as physical, mental, and, sexual abuse, child marriage, child labour, and political violence. Unfortunately, it does not end there. Child protection and trauma concerns are exacerbated by poverty, limited livelihood/unemployment, and overcrowded living situations.
Palestine Sports for Life (PS4L), in collaboration with Generation Amazing Foundation (GA), Qatar Charity, and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), launched the HOPE Project for the purpose of tackling some of these challenges. Taking a novel and accessible approach to diminishing violence, abuse, and neglect by building institutional capacity and addressing specific psycho-social needs.
Play is a fundamental right for children, at Palestine Sports for Life. It gives individuals the ability to express themselves, learn, and maintain balanced mental wellbeing. As a result, PS4L will collaborate closely with UNRWA, the Ministry of Education, and other youth centres to provide critical psychosocial assistance and programming for children in Gaza and the West Bank, utilising athletics as a tool in after-school activities. Thus, safe spaces in schools and youth centres are being created to provide the much-needed stimulating environment for the development of Palestine's youth.
The programme, utilising GA’s successful Football for Development curricula, is delivered in three cycles. The first of which began on February 12th in Gaza, the second cycle starting in June, and the third in September. Each phase will train 20 teachers, 10 of whom will be male and 10 of whom will be female, to improve their teaching methods and competencies in delivering high-end quality football and life skills sessions to their students and youngsters in the schools. The HOPE initiative aims to develop the skills of 60 teachers and 20 youth leaders in the West Bank and Gaza.
After-school extracurricular football activities will also be made available to provide youth the previously unavailable opportunity to be active outside of school. The effort aims to administer after-school programmes in 60 schools, serving around 3000 students, at least 30 of whom are impaired. These activities will be led by qualified teachers and trainers, with the primary goal of reaching out to young girls and boys who do not have access to clubs outside of school.
“We are very excited to team up with Generation Amazing Foundation on the HOPE Project. The project will develop the knowledge of our teachers in GA’s approach in sports for development to empower children and youth, especially in marginalized areas, in their right to play football and to develop their life skills through educational opportunities in safe spaces. We thank GA, QFD, and QC for their support and belief to develop Palestinian Communities through sports”
Tamara Awartani
Co-Founder and Director of Palestine: Sport for Life (PS4L)
“We are honoured to partner with Palestine Sports for Life, Qatar Charity, and Qatar Fund for Development to further extend our Football for Development training into Palestine. This programme provides us with the opportunity to introduce human capacity building trainings for the youth in West Bank and Gaza, and goes hand-in-hand with our promise of creating a lasting impact in the region after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Nasser Al-Khori
Executive Director, Generation Amazing Foundation
The HOPE project will promote the well-being of refugee children by engaging them in sport-based activities that will aid in providing safe spaces while encouraging personal, social, and global skill development. It will also increase participants' understanding of child protection and children's rights, and it will boost UNRWA instructors' child protection abilities, increasing their capacity to lead sport-based child protection initiatives.
Boilerplates
The Generation Amazing Foundation (GA) is a human and social legacy focused organisation that launched in 2010 during Qatar’s successful bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup™. GA operates its sport for development programmes in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Qatar's National Vision 2030, to promote sustainability, inclusion, and gender equality. GA’s unique methodology utilises the power of football to impart crucial life skills including communication, leadership, teamwork and compassion to youth and communities in need across the globe. Since its launch, GA, in collaboration with key partners, has reached and positively impacted over 1 million lives in 75 countries and counting.
For more information, visit www.generationamazing.qa or follow us @GA4good on Twitter and Instagram.
Founded in 2011, Palestine: Sports for Life (PS4L) is a leading Palestinian non-profit Sport for Development organisation. PS4L responds to developmental needs in the marginalised Palestinian communities through sports and life skills. It empowers youth and women by operating in a global context and aligning its developmental activities and programs with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For more information, visit www.ps4l.org or follow us @ps4l on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.