One Child is Too Many
Before the latest outbreak of violence, World Vision Jerusalem West Bank Gaza (JWG) had been running child sponsorship programmes; much like World Vision UK does in twenty countries around the world. Like most children in Gaza, over the past month some World Vision JWG sponsored children have lost their lives and all are now in need of psychological first aid.
This video was sent out to a sponsor in a World Vision UK partner office a year ago to introduce them to their new sponsored child, Mohammed.
Last Tuesday, 29 July Mohammed, his younger brother Mo’men, and 17 other members of their family died. Their three-storey home was bombed by Israeli fighter jets at around six AM, while most of the family was asleep.
Thanks to his sponsors, over the past four years Mohammed had taken part in summer camps, relished the post he received from his sponsor, and enjoyed birthday celebration parties and other activities. His sponsor also helped him attend school, and through World Vision Mohammed received school uniforms, bags, and stationery. Mohammed was in Year 4 at school, and loved playing football with his brother, Mo’men, who had just celebrated his tenth birthday. Both boys idolized their father and uncle, and often went out to the family greenhouse to help them farm.
Out of Mohammed and Mo’men’s 24 family members that were home that morning, only five survived the bombing. The Duhair family lived in the crowded Al Shaboura Camp, where houses are often poorly built and tightly packed together. The bombing destroyed neighbouring homes and greenhouses, and caused many injuries among the neighbours.
As the rescue crews attempted to search through the rubble Tuesday afternoon, they faced further difficulty, as the area continued to receive fire.
One child is too many
During the violence that has unfolded in Gaza over the past month, innocent children have often been caught in the crossfire. In the case of the Duhairs, it has been an entire family that has suffered the consequences of this conflict. The surviving family members buried 19 children, women, and men last week.
Of the 1,843 people who have died in Gaza since 8 July, 415 were children. At least 9,300 people have been injured, including more than 2,800 children, and World Vision estimates that over 400,000 will require psychological first aid.
World Vision serves some 90,000 people in Gaza, including more than 7,000 children registered in its programmes. More than 5,000 children in World Vision programmes have been displaced by the conflict, and children as young as six are experiencing the third war of their short lives.
Gaza Crisis Appeal
World Vision UK has joined the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Gaza Crisis Appeal, which launched at midnight.
We are working as quickly as possible to get food and medical supplies to those who need them, and provide fuel for hospitals so that they can continue to treat patients. We have been receiving an amazing response from our sponsors and supporters, and are opening a further 30 centres where mothers and children can receive psychological first aid, care, snacks, and have a safe place to rest and play.
However, there is still a lot of work to be done before our partner organisation in Gaza can contemplate sending child introduction videos to sponsors once again.