Deir Ammar, 2013
Unipal returned to Deir Ammar for the first time in many years with a team of four women, Alice, Alicia, Claire and Samantha with coordinator Katie. They were made to feel very welcome by everyone in the camp and enjoyed the rural location, and the children were glad to have activities during the summer break.
Alicia found drama a welcome addition. She explains: ‘Drama exercises – making pictures, moving into shapes, songs – were very popular. The children weren’t used to doing these so really enjoyed them.’ Samantha worked with boys and girls in the camp using a wide range of topics such as telling the time, maps and directions, sports with a London 2012 theme, opposites, feelings and emotions, countries and their capitals plus lots of songs, games and role-play activities. |
During the afternoons Sam worked at the Women’s Centre in the camp using activities to entertain younger children. She says: ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar was popular! We made posters using all sorts of craft materials that I’d brought with me and sung songs and played games. It was well attended with between 10 and 30 children coming to each session.’
Alicia spent her afternoons at the Ramallah Centre for Human Rights. She explains: ‘I helped with the drafting of funding proposals to the EU, and the translation of reports on academic freedom in the West Bank and Gaza which I really enjoyed. I learnt a lot about the effect of the Fatah-Hamas split on education in Palestine. Many of the adults in Deir Ammar had heard of the centre and were interested to hear about the work I was doing there.’ |
Deir Ammar is in a beautiful rural location about 40 minutes drive from Ramallah and it is hoped Unipal can return in future years. One of the volunteers says: ‘I really think if the kids participated in a Unipal programme every year, it would have a lasting impact on their language skills. They definitely grew in confidence and it would be great if this could be reinforced every summer.’
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