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older boys performing dabke dancing. Two excellent days out were spent at the large swimming
complex in Doura near Hebron. Both the boys and the girls enjoyed swimming and taking turns on the stomach-churning rides.
Afternoons were spent with a variety of local organisations in the camp and further afield in Hebron.
Games and songs were popular at the Children’s Centre in the camp, while at the Youth Centre (men only) a group met regularly with Amanda for topical discussion and debate. At al-Mahawer charitable society in the
Jebel Johar district of Hebron, classes were held for an enthusiastic group of children aged 5-12 with an emphasis on art and story-telling. The building is close to an Israeli settlement and as Clare points out,
‘The situation is made strikingly real working in a centre with very few resources and looking over to the lush green settlement a few metres away.’
The group of women – Anna Close, Catherine, Clare and Rachel – based in Bethlehem returned to familiar
territory in Aida camp. They worked in the girls’ school, where there was a strong emphasis on art and drama with all the volunteers proving themselves to be very creative. Work was displayed in the classrooms for
the graduation day, which parents were able to view before the class performances including visual presentations of The Very Hungry Caterpillar from the youngest girls, taught by Rachel, and The Enormous
Crocodile by Anna’s class.
Afternoon projects were held in Doha Children’s Centre, al-Rowwad, the Handala Centre in the tiny Azza
camp, and at Bethlehem University where Anna held discussions with young students twice a week.
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