Am'ari Play Centre Appeal
Dear Friends,
Since 1974 the Am’ari Play Centre has provided hundreds of children in Am’ari Refugee Camp near the city of Ramallah with mostly free access to pre-school education. This access is made possible through the generous donations by individuals as well as Quakers meetings in the USA, Europe and Japan.
Each year, three teachers and a supervisor educate, guide and care for over 40 five year old children from Am’ari Refugee Camp. The Play Centre plays an important role in the development of the educational opportunities in the Am’ari Refugee Camp — one of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in Palestine. According to the United Nations, Am’ari Camp poverty rates are near 50% with unemployment at 27%. The camp is home to over 10,000 refugees living on a bit over half a square mile. Providing an opportunity for early education will give the children’s mothers a break to attend to their domestic duties. Additionally. studies have shown that children who attend pre-school centres are more likely to succeed in their school education. We hope to give our children this advantage in life.
_My name is Ahmad. I have three brothers and one sister, and we live in two rooms with our father and mother in Am’ari Camp. My two eldest brothers go to school in the third and fourth grades. My sister goes to the second grade in the girls’ school. My youngest brother is still three years old. When my mother told me that I had to go to kindergarten, I was afraid, but she told me I would go with my sister, because she is in the same building as my kindergarten. My mother told me all my eldest brothers went to the same kindergarten (Am’ari Play Centre) with Miss Wafiyeh. I got excited and wanted to go because I used to hear my brothers and sister talking about Miss Wafiyeh.
I like to be in kindergarten, and play with the boys and girls. We learn how to write and how to sing. Every day we hear a story, and we draw and write. Many people visit us. Miss Muna says they come from America or Europe. My mother told me I have to learn English to go to America and Europe. I want to study every day, learn English like Miss Muna, visit America and Europe and become an English teacher._
From the time the Play Centre was first developed, generous donations purchased new books, stories, educational material, food, and milk as well as paid for the salaries of three teachers and a supervisor. Without such generosity and support none of this would have been possible. However, over the past two years donations have dropped considerably.
In order to continue to provide for these most deserving and vulnerable children, we need $30,000 (around 20,000 Sterling or Euros) each year to operate the Am’ari Play Centre. Please join us in reaching our fundraising goal.
A simple donation can be made “online”: http://www.fwccemes.org/donations/ or you may send a check payable to FWCC-EMES Am’ari Play Center to this address
We sincerely thank you for your time and continued support.
Muna Khleifi
Supervisor
Am’ari Play Centre (located at Am’ari Refugee Camp)
+972599433851
PS. Your donation will touch the lives of the most vulnerable children of Palestine
This appeal is also available as a downloadable document which you can print and share with your Meetings
