Opening of safe educational spaces in Gaza City

Within the prominent project “Youth Networks Collaborating Towards Enhanced Educational and Well-being Opportunities for Children and Adolescents“, funded by UNICEF, and implemented by the Social Developmental Forum (SDF), in collaboration with the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), SDF has inaugurated two Safe Learning Spaces (SLSs) in Gaza City.

The first space is located at Palestine School across Al-Thawra Street in central Gaza City, while the second is at Abd al-Rahman bin Auf School across Al-Jalaa Street near Sheikh Radwan Junction in the north of the city. 80 students have been enrolled in each space, totaling 160 children and adolescents. Each space is staffed with three teachers: six teachers in total. The program targets students in grades 4 – 11; upper elementary and secondary education levels.

Student’s reaction:
Launching the SLSs generated an enthusiastic response from children eager to return to school and resume their education. High levels of turnout and registration requests have been remarkably noticeable; many families reflected that the project is crucial to facilitating the reintegration of students into educational settings and fostering social engagement amid the psychosocial challenges caused by war.

Registration requests were overwhelming. Even after reaching our registration capacity, more families wanted to enroll their children, leading us to create waiting lists.
Yasmin Muhanna, project coordinator

A Funny Opening Day
Before launching the spaces, the SDF team organized a recreational day to encourage children to register and foster their readiness. The event featured activities by the SDF’s Youth Network and volunteers from the “Together Towards Hope” Youth Network. Activities included traditional songs for children and interactive games.

Muhanna expressed the atmosphere following the opening, stating, “Despite the harsh conditions and daily challenges here in northern Gaza, the students’ determination and eagerness for learning prove their deep passion for commitment. I can see hope, in their eyes, I can see a bright future. They are the generation that will bring change, overcome challenges, and build a better tomorrow.”

From North to South
Launching the two spaces is part of a significant component within the project, aiming to establish 12 Safe Learning Spaces across Gaza’s governorates, distributed across three main areas in Gaza: the southern, central, and northern governorates, with two spaces in each location.

The project, implemented by SDF in partnership with UNICEF and the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), aims to enhance access to informal educational activities, raise awareness about violence and protection issues, and enhance educational capacities. It also seeks to increase youth’s role in supporting educational and recreational initiatives for children and adolescents, ultimately creating a youth network to achieve these goals “Together For Hope”.