“The Child Inside Me Is Still Dreaming”

“The Child Inside Me Is Still Dreaming”

How Jumana turned a mother’s concern into a child protection mission in Beit Awwa

When Jumana visited a local kindergarten looking for a place for her son, she walked out deeply unsettled. The way the children were treated — the way they were transported — wasn’t what she believed children deserved. That unease became a kindergarten. And that kindergarten became much bigger.

Today, Jumana runs Kids Club Kindergarten in Beit Awwa, a community in the southern West Bank where families face growing economic and social pressures. The school is more than a learning space. It is a safe haven — for children, for parents, and for a community working to protect its most vulnerable.

A Coincidence That Changed Everything

In 2022, Jumana joined the Child Protection and Advocacy (CPA) group supported by World Vision in Beit Awwa. She was already committed to supporting children in her community, but she is the first to admit that the decision felt almost accidental.

“At first, joining the CPA group happened almost by coincidence,” she explains. “But sometimes coincidence opens the door to something much greater.”

Through training on child protection, social norms, and community action planning, Jumana gained practical skills that changed the way she worked with children and families. The programme sharpened something she had long felt but struggled to fully articulate. “I became more aware, more responsible, and more committed to protecting children wherever they are,” she says.

Building a Safe Space Against the Odds

Turning her vision into reality was not straightforward. Juggling five children and significant financial pressure, Jumana built Kids Club Kindergarten step by step — determined to create a place where, as she puts it, “children feel safe, respected, and cared for, and families can trust that their children are truly protected.”

The kindergarten quickly became more than a school. It became a community hub — hosting psychosocial support sessions, positive parenting workshops, and activities for caregivers to share experiences and strengthen their skills. One community event reached more than 500 children and families, raising awareness about child protection through recreational and educational activities.

As her involvement in the CPA group grew, Jumana became one of its most active members — helping to organise awareness sessions, coordinate activities with schools and families, and shape community action plans focused on keeping children safe.

The Boy Everyone Called Troublesome

Ask Jumana about the moments that mean the most to her and she will tell you about Wadie. When the five-year-old first joined the kindergarten, he had been written off by many around him as “troublesome.” His behaviour was difficult, and some teachers struggled to respond. But Jumana believed that children who feel rejected need support the most.

Step by step, teachers worked closely with Wadie — helping him feel accepted, valued, and understood. His confidence grew. His behaviour changed. By the end of the year, the transformation was visible to everyone who knew him.

Wadie’s graduation became an emotional moment for his family and for every teacher in the room. It was a reminder of what patience, care, and a safe space can do for a child who has simply never felt either.

A Community Transformed

Beyond individual stories, Jumana has witnessed a shift in how families in Beit Awwa think about and talk about child protection. Through CPA activities and awareness sessions, parents have begun to better understand the importance of open communication, emotional support, and positive discipline. 

For Jumana, the work is far from finished. She hopes to expand Kids Club into a full school and continue building a stronger support system for children and families in her community.

Wadie graduated at the end of that school year. His family cried. So did his teachers. For Jumana, it was proof of something she had believed all along: that every child labelled “troublesome” is really just a child waiting to feel safe.

World Vision supports child protection programming across the West Bank through community-based Child Protection and Advocacy groups, psychosocial support, and positive parenting initiatives. In 2025, the Child Protection programme reached more than 31,000 children and 2,100 caregivers across the West Bank.