Restoring childhood: Safe havens for Palestinian children to heal and thrive

In the heart of As-Sura, a small village in southern West Bank, stood an old, neglected community centre – a once lively place where children’s laughter echoed against the walls. The faded murals and broken playground equipment hinted at better days, but the years had not been kind. Peeling paint, rusted doors, and a lack of basic sanitation had rendered it unfit for any activity. The community, struggling with scarce resources, had been unable to restore it.

However, As-Sura is not unique. Across the West Bank, children in many villages face a harsh reality with no safe places to play, meet friends, or simply enjoy moments of innocence. Since 7th October 2023, the situation has only worsened. Schools are frequently closed, and the ever-present threat of violence looms large. With the escalating conflict, multiplying checkpoints, and growing economic hardships, many children have been confined to their homes, isolated from their peers. Cut off from their friends and familiar routines, these children carry a heavy burden of stress, anxiety, and trauma – wounds that can last a lifetime.

Recognising this urgent need, World Vision made it a priority to create safe spaces for children and communities across the West Bank. In As-Sura, the transformation began with a dedicated group of volunteers and the village council, who joined forces to rehabilitate the derelict community centre. Over the course of several weeks, with the financial support of World Vision Australia, they repainted walls, installed new bathrooms, and added water tanks to provide clean drinking water.

The impact was immediate and profound. The revitalised centre quickly became a haven for the children of As-Sura – a place where they could meet, play, and reclaim their childhood. Soon after, World Vision relaunched its Makani (‘my place’ in Arabic) club, offering 163 children, between 6 and 12, an opportunity to gather, learn essential life skills, and simply be kids in a space that feels safe and normal. “I have made a lot of new friends, and I love coming here,” said 9-year-old Jumana, her face lighting up with joy.

In August, the community centre hosted one of the 61 summer camps organised by World Vision in the West Bank. Over nine days, 160 children in As-Sura, like close to 10,000 others in the West Bank, immersed themselves in fun activities within a secure environment. Each day, they also participated in psychosocial support recreational activities, designed to alleviate stress and tension through sports, arts, and playful interactions. 

As-Sura’s story is just one example of World Vision’s broader efforts in the West Bank. Over the past 10 months, our organisation has constructed or rehabilitated 26  safe spaces in the West Bank. We also implemented mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions in more than a hundred villages, reaching over 28,000 children and adults with the financial support of the European Union, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ), the Humanitarian Coalition (Canada), World Vision Australia, World Vision Canada and World Vision United States. 

World Vision’s emergency response has touched the lives of families in more than 155 village across the West Bank, offering hope, healing, and a chance for children to reclaim their lost childhoods. In places like As-Sura, these efforts are more than just a project – they are a lifeline.