One girl’s dreams for the future
Every morning, 13-year-old Tasneem wakes up, has breakfast, prays, and goes to school in her village of Yitma in southern Nablus. Tasneem is like so many other secondary school students in the West Bank. She likes school; her favourite subjects are Science and Arabic. She likes to read books and play volleyball. She doesn’t like it when she has too many exams, but she loves to study and play with her friends. Like the many children living in the occupied Palestinian Territory, her dreams are those of a better, more peaceful future.Tasneem’s village; Yitma, has a population of approximately 2,000 people. They are among the 19,500 people living in the villages served by World Vision’s South Nablus Area Development Programme (ADP) in the West Bank. These villages in southern Nablus are largely very poor. Here, settler violence, movement restrictions, surrounding checkpoints, and land confiscation are a direct result of the ever-expanding Israeli settlements. The area of South Nablus also suffers from major deprivations such as lack of proper sanitation, a lack of extracurricular activities, and inadequate educational conditions.
Here, settler violence, movement restrictions, surrounding checkpoints, and land confiscation are a direct result of the ever-expanding Israeli settlementsYet, with all the problems around her, Tasneem is a sweet and engaging girl, with a ready smile and happy laugh. To reach her school, Tasneem walks ten minutes down the road - rain, hail or shine. She has several neighbours, including one of her teachers, Ms. Ibtisam. Tasneem’s mother, Nawal, is a housewife and her father, Arafat, works as a house painter. Tasneem says she feels extremely lucky to be one of 1,890 sponsored children out of 2,500 registered children in the South Nablus Area Development Programme.
Tasneem recalls that one of her favourite memories was the day she received gifts from her Taiwanese sponsor. “I was very happy, and it was a really beautiful moment!” Along with learning she was one of the top students in her class and the day she received the highest grade on an examination, she lists this as one of her fondest memories.
The sponsorship project in the South Nablus Area Development Programme, supported by World Vision Taiwan, has helped improve the lives of Tasneem and many other children like her, from nine different villages. Projects that have been funded by the Sponsorship Project include rehabilitation of schools, training of community members and slower-learning children, gift distribution and recreational activities.
“Sponsorship brings a smile to each child’s face. Every year, we distribute gifts to the children, which makes them very happy,” says Ghada Arabasi, Southeast Salfit ADP Sponsorship Assistant.
“Through sponsorship, we can develop the environment in which children live, by helping the schools they attend and by training the communities in which they live.”
One of Tasneem’s teachers and neighbours, Ms. Ibtisam says the impact of World Vision sponsorship on the school, as well as the children, has been wonderful. The rehabilitation of Tasneem’s school playground is just one example. “The school playground was all rocks; now the children can play!”
Tasneem’s mother, Nawal, says, “The village is slowly improved. In Tasneem’s school, it is better now. Now there are shading umbrellas so Tasneem can play outside in the rain and the sun. World Vision also helped with the school’s canteen and library. I hope that the future for my children is better.”
Through sponsorship, we can develop the environment in which children live, by helping the schools they attend and by training the communities in which they liveThe impact of sponsorship on the lives of children is clearly visible, as so many sponsored children in the West Bank and Gaza can recite each and every gift they have ever received from their sponsor, showing what a difference a gift or a thought can really make.
“I think sponsorship does help, and it makes people happy. I received gifts- once I got clothes, a blanket, and hair clips! And once I received gym shoes, and I wore them, and came to gym class in them, and I was really happy,” recalls Tasneem.
“I also really liked the blanket because it was thick and very warm, and I cover myself with it at night when it is cold. I remember when I first used the hair clips in my hair, and I came to school very happy and proud. I do think that sponsorship helps because it makes me feel happy and that there are people that feel with us and want to help us.”
Community members also appreciate sponsorship, and people are quick to share how much it helps, and yet, how much is still needed.
“Thanks to World Vision for their efforts and what they have done for our village. Buildings, school renovations, trainings, computer labs, all of these have had positive effects on the people of Yitma and the entire community”, says village community member Ziad Naim Najjar and 50-year-old father of nine.
Tasneem’s village of Yitma and so many others may be poor, but they are still hopeful of a better future.
When asked about World Vision, Tasneem pauses thoughtfully, and then with a smile says, “I know that World Vision helps people. They don’t only help people, but they develop us. They develop the people in our village and at school too. They help us to be able to realise a better future.”
It is a future that desperately needs to grow brighter, but due to small acts of kindness, one that already holds hope for children like Tasneem.
-Ends-
Here, settler violence, movement restrictions, surrounding checkpoints, and land confiscation are a direct result of the ever-expanding Israeli settlementsYet, with all the problems around her, Tasneem is a sweet and engaging girl, with a ready smile and happy laugh. To reach her school, Tasneem walks ten minutes down the road - rain, hail or shine. She has several neighbours, including one of her teachers, Ms. Ibtisam. Tasneem’s mother, Nawal, is a housewife and her father, Arafat, works as a house painter. Tasneem says she feels extremely lucky to be one of 1,890 sponsored children out of 2,500 registered children in the South Nablus Area Development Programme.
Tasneem recalls that one of her favourite memories was the day she received gifts from her Taiwanese sponsor. “I was very happy, and it was a really beautiful moment!” Along with learning she was one of the top students in her class and the day she received the highest grade on an examination, she lists this as one of her fondest memories.
The sponsorship project in the South Nablus Area Development Programme, supported by World Vision Taiwan, has helped improve the lives of Tasneem and many other children like her, from nine different villages. Projects that have been funded by the Sponsorship Project include rehabilitation of schools, training of community members and slower-learning children, gift distribution and recreational activities.
“Sponsorship brings a smile to each child’s face. Every year, we distribute gifts to the children, which makes them very happy,” says Ghada Arabasi, Southeast Salfit ADP Sponsorship Assistant.
“Through sponsorship, we can develop the environment in which children live, by helping the schools they attend and by training the communities in which they live.”
One of Tasneem’s teachers and neighbours, Ms. Ibtisam says the impact of World Vision sponsorship on the school, as well as the children, has been wonderful. The rehabilitation of Tasneem’s school playground is just one example. “The school playground was all rocks; now the children can play!”
Tasneem’s mother, Nawal, says, “The village is slowly improved. In Tasneem’s school, it is better now. Now there are shading umbrellas so Tasneem can play outside in the rain and the sun. World Vision also helped with the school’s canteen and library. I hope that the future for my children is better.”
Through sponsorship, we can develop the environment in which children live, by helping the schools they attend and by training the communities in which they liveThe impact of sponsorship on the lives of children is clearly visible, as so many sponsored children in the West Bank and Gaza can recite each and every gift they have ever received from their sponsor, showing what a difference a gift or a thought can really make.
“I think sponsorship does help, and it makes people happy. I received gifts- once I got clothes, a blanket, and hair clips! And once I received gym shoes, and I wore them, and came to gym class in them, and I was really happy,” recalls Tasneem.
“I also really liked the blanket because it was thick and very warm, and I cover myself with it at night when it is cold. I remember when I first used the hair clips in my hair, and I came to school very happy and proud. I do think that sponsorship helps because it makes me feel happy and that there are people that feel with us and want to help us.”
Community members also appreciate sponsorship, and people are quick to share how much it helps, and yet, how much is still needed.
“Thanks to World Vision for their efforts and what they have done for our village. Buildings, school renovations, trainings, computer labs, all of these have had positive effects on the people of Yitma and the entire community”, says village community member Ziad Naim Najjar and 50-year-old father of nine.
Tasneem’s village of Yitma and so many others may be poor, but they are still hopeful of a better future.
When asked about World Vision, Tasneem pauses thoughtfully, and then with a smile says, “I know that World Vision helps people. They don’t only help people, but they develop us. They develop the people in our village and at school too. They help us to be able to realise a better future.”
It is a future that desperately needs to grow brighter, but due to small acts of kindness, one that already holds hope for children like Tasneem.
-Ends-
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