Young people bring life and color to the Mental Health Hospital

‘Our Youth’s’ initiative comes as one of the initiatives implemented by Social Developmental Forum within the Yalla Change project. The initiative aims to create a safe and beautiful space in a Gaza hospital for patients and their families, thus aiming to better invest the empty space in the hospital and create a green space. The initiative team also hopes to contribute to providing a good health service. 

Following a series of assessment filed visits to the Gaza Strip hospitals, the initiative team found that the Mental Health hospital in Gaza City is the most suitable and most in need for the implementation of this intervention. They felt that this will have a strong positive impact on hospital patients and their families as well as the hospital staff.

33 young people participated in the planning and implementation of this initiative. A 400-meter garden was established in the Mental Health Hospital in Gaza City as a safe area for patients and visitors. The construction included a paved corridor in the middle of the garden, a wooden fence and a fence of colored tires. 40 seedlings were also planted on the edge of the garden. 

Mahmoud Zant, Executive Director of the Forum said that the initiative comes in the context of enhancing the role of youth in addressing the shortage of basic services in the Gaza Strip and increasing the level of community responsibility. This is reflected more in restoring the community’s confidence in youth and restoring the youth’s confidence in themselves and their ability to contribute to improving the reality in the Gaza Strip.

“The initiative was very impressive, and the spirit of cooperation and participation was evident to all who participated in the initiative. This was the first time for many young people to carry out a community volunteer activity at this level, and we felt strongly about our ability to change and make a positive impact in our community” said Sujood AbuHassanien on her participation. 

This initiative is part of a series of initiatives implemented by young people participating in Yalla Change project in Gaza.