YMCA-East Jerusalem and Save the Children Sweden Mark the End

of Phase I for the Rehabilitation Programme of Ex-detainee Children

The “Post-trauma Rehabilitation of Palestinian Ex-detainee Children” is a program implemented by YMCA-East Jerusalem Rehabilitation Programme in partnership with Save the Children and with funds from the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the program was launched almost one year ago.

The Post-trauma Rehabilitation Programme provides individual and group counselling sessions to ex-detainee children and their families. Beneficiaries of the programme also obtain vocational and academic guiding sessions, and are engaged in structured ventilation activities, where they get to interact with each other and release some of the stress and anxiety caused by their detention experience in a stimulating and safe environment.

The Program is implemented in 11 districts of the West Bank. So far, 584 ex-detainee children and 359 parents have benefited from the program.

YMCA-East Jerusalem together with Save the Children Sweden held an event at the premises of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Ramallah on the 29^th of March marking the end of phase I of the “Post-trauma Rehabilitation of Palestinian Ex-detainee Children” program. The event featured the launch of a short documentary entitled “Coming Home”, produced as part of the program to shed light on the challenges facing Palestinian ex-detainee children after their release from prison and to introduce the intervention tools available through the Post-trauma Rehabilitation Program. The event was preceded by a photo exhibition encompassing a selection of 25 photos captured by ex-detainee children and young adults. The photos reflect the impressions, feelings, and thoughts of the ex-detainees in relation to their post-release reality.

The second phase of the program have already started in May 2010 and will continue through March 31^st 2011.

For a detailed report on Phase I please click here

For additional information please contact:

Fadia Saleh – Program Coordintor, East Jerusalem YMCA – Rehabilitation Program: + 972 2 277 2713  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it