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01/05/08 |
                                            
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Leaders from around the world are meeting right now in
Montreal to discuss international efforts to cut global warming pollution.
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on cutting global warming pollution. But the U.S. is not joining in these negotiations, even though global warming's effects were all too visible in 2005. Among the 2005 danger signs:
If we are going to stop global warming, we have to first deal with the hot air coming from our elected officials. .  Is the Bush
Administration Working for You... or Working for Big Oil and Gas?
.
- April, May 03
From the Director of Atfaluna...
Very Dear Friends,
As yet another school year draws to a close, it is time to
reflect on so many things…so many blessings, and so much sorrow, as well.
It has been a very tough year, to say the least. All of
what has happened in the Palestinian community has left many children and
staff alike deeply scarred and vulnerable. Needless to say, many families
have been destroyed or deeply wounded by terrible losses of life, of
property, of livelihood, and of human dignity. The worst consequence of
the now three-year-old intifada is the loss of hope amongst so many
Palestinians. We can only desperately cling to the hope that the
newly-drawn-up Roadmap to Peace is going to somehow miraculously go
somewhere and that this ugly chapter can be closed once and for all for
both Palestinians and Israelis alike.
One of the biggest problems we have at Atfaluna is keeping
up morale of both children and staff. It has not been easy to ask the
children to think about their future and work towards it when almost every
night in the Gaza Strip for the past three years has been filled with the
terrifying sound of explosions, only to be followed by dreaded news of
casualties the next morning, those causalities often including cousins,
other relatives, or friends. For many teachers, just getting to work in
the morning presents a multitude of challenges including navigating
dangerous roadblocks with army tanks in full view, walking great distances
because roads have been destroyed, and leaving behind family members who
have been traumatized by the night’s events.
I would like you to know that in spite of the many
obstacles and challenges, the Atfaluna staff remain committed to providing
the children with the best that they can under the circumstances. We have
many positive things to report to you. Your support has been vital and
has given us the boost we so badly need to continue to provide quality
education for the 210 profoundly and severely deaf children in our care.
It has meant everything to us to know that you were there.
If you had visited Atfaluna this past school year you would
have been pleased to see a variety of activities that we have been able to
carry out as a result of your assistance to us. Creative activities
included a great many arts and crafts projects, an art exhibition, and the
discovery of many little budding artists. Creative dance classes were the
real hit this year. Even though the children couldn’t hear the music in
the same way that we do, it was more than clear that they found the rhythm
in their souls and quite joyously danced their hearts out. We are proud
to say that Atfaluna’s children excel in Mathematics and English.
Evaluations carried out by the Ministry of Education placed Atfaluna’s
students at least two years ahead of their hearing counterparts in regular
schools.
This year the Atfaluna Pre-School/Kindergarten had a record
enrollment of 40 children, ages 3 to 5. We didn’t really have the room or
finances to accommodate all of the children, but we took the decision,
nevertheless, that we would work it out somehow. It was crowded and
somewhat chaotic at times but the scene at the close of this school year
made it all seem worthwhile.
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| Cont... From the Director of Atfaluna: That same group of scared, weepy little kids had somehow miraculously been transformed into confident little people quite capable of having a good sign language conversation and doing all the things that other kids do, including telling on each other and asking some of the most outrageous questions that only little kids can ask. The large number of children has been hard on the toys, teaching aids, and furniture. Your financial support will help us to replace some of those items. There are a number of very special and talented students at Atfaluna. One older student, in particular, has shown an unexplained ability to repair computers. As we were planning to dispose of a computer that specialists had deemed “beyond repair,” Muhammad quite confidently stated that he could repair it. Much to our amazement, he did and he’s been repairing our computers ever since. Muhammad came to Atfaluna too late to go through the entire educational cycle (9 levels) and has had only four years of formal education. With the help of a local computer company, we are working together to further develop his skills and explore potential job placement in the community. Teachers are volunteering their time to give Muhammad the extra help he needs to build his literacy skills. You will be pleased to know that a large number of Atfaluna’s graduates have found jobs in the community. This has only become possible because your support has made academic education a reality to deaf children in the Gaza Strip. Forty percent of Atfaluna staff members are deaf, a fact which makes us very proud. Atfaluna graduates now work as kindergarten and first grade teaching assistants and teachers, seamstresses, carpenters, ear-mold technicians, canteen managers, sign language instructors, and parent counselors. A number of Atfaluna graduates also work in the Atfaluna Crafts business which produces Palestinian crafts for sale locally and abroad. The business is run entirely by deaf persons. Many of the crafts workers are artists and produce beautiful pieces of pottery, embroidery, furniture, and other items. You would be proud. We face even more challenges this coming school year. Thirty-five young deaf children are waiting to get into school this September. At present our finances are stretched to the limit and our classrooms are overflowing, but we’ve learned that there’s always room at the inn. Crowded classrooms are only a minor inconvenience compared to the pain and emptiness a deaf child will endure if schooling is not an option. In closing, let me say how much we are indebted to you for your help over the years, for your love to the children, and for your commitment to ensuring that the deaf children of Gaza are given their right to education and to a better future. With kindest regards, I remain, Sincerely, Geraldine Shawa Geraldine Shawa President | |||||||||||||||
This site was last updated 03/04/07