Hassan Al
Saayydeh (Human Rights Researcher) wrote about the beautiful moments that
children lived in at the Eid carnivals with "Witness” in the Palestinian
refugee camps in Tyre. This program is kindly funded by UNICEF.
When hearts
smile and the faces of children bloom as if they are red roses, they made their
days with laughter and joy.
It was very
remarkable and distinguished how thousands of children received their Eid
present.
The monitors
put their stress away, because their goal to make children feel happy. They
planned, prepared, and succeeded when they saw their cure of feeling tired
which is the smile drawn on the faces of children.
As the
carnival has come to its end, you see the deep stress and tiredness of the
monitors, but it was as if their hearts are laughing and their smiles are
rising to reach the sky full of lovebirds. Simple words or expression went
really honest by one of the monitors: "I am pleased and happy because I see and
feel the smiles of children, thank you all”.
The
Palestinian Association for Human Rights "Witness” has implemented the carnival
as a part of the program "Empowerment” funded by UNICEF. The Eid carnival was
hold for three day in the Palestinian refugee camps of Tyre area: Al Bass, Borj
Al Shamali, and Al Rashidiyya camps, and it included art perfomances, cartoon,
face painting, clowns, and music. This "Empwerment” program including the
most important events, serve more than 4000 children in Tyre refugee camps in
addition to a great number of beneficiary youth.
Eid
gathering is small yet it has a big meaning of gathering joy and love. The Eid
is an opportunity for joy and happiness to children in the refugee camps.
Witness in collaboration with UNICEF gave this Eid a special and beautiful
splendor for children and their parents, where they expressed their feelings of
joy, as we will mention the feedbacks of this special activity.
"This kind
of activities contributes in reducing the loads on humble families that can’t
afford to pay for such games, and I wish to continue with these activities to
keep the smile on our children’s faces”, Said Mr. Rabih Moustafa, one of the
carnival visitors in Al Rashidiyya refugee camp. I would congratulate you for
picking such games with an experienced team and staff in addition to the
location in the middle of the camp to make easy for those who are attending.
You brought happiness also with distributing healthy snacks especially for
kids.
Eid had
drawn the big wide smile on the faces of children on all carnival days, where
the carnivals were crowded with singing and laughing kids. The came early with
their beautiful outfits to play games and it was noticed that their parent came
to share happiness with their kids. Eid has aspects of drawing the smile on
faces in a wonderful way and lovely manners and characteristics:
1- It was unique
that Witness brought games that are not available in the refugee camps and
difficult to find. These games are highly expensive and hard to find in local
centers and for those who are with limited income, these games were all free
and available.
2- High attendance
(4000 children in addition to their parents), which indicates that refugee
camps eagerly need such activities to be implemented. Some parents wrote a
thank you letter and sent it to the association.
3- Integration of
children with special need in the carnivals, where the monitors were ready to help
them and provide them with the appropriate psychological support by the
remarkable cooperation between parents and monitors. Parents of "Ahmad Mansour”
thanked the association and its efforts in integrating all the children.
4- The Carnival
provided the children with free and healthy snacks as a distinguished step ever
happened in the poor Palestinian society.
5- All children
from nationalities attended whether they are displaced from Syria or living
here in Lebanon, all with equal opportunities.
6- Nice music for
children was played in the carnival, the masquerade artists, and the clown gave
the joy and happiness for every single child.
7- The carnival was
located in the middle of the camps to make it easy for those who want to
attend, in addition to the distribution of flyers announcing the carnival
through social media and on the walls of the refugee camps.
Finally,
despite the bitter reality that most of our people live in the refugee camps,
the smile will be drawn whatever the situation or obstacle is. Shall we leave a
glimpse of hope for more beautiful and lovely life, and shall we continue
singing for childhood with our peaceful spirits.