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Friends United Meeting |
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Quaker Play Center, Amari Refugee Camp
The Quaker Play Center was established by Friends World Committee for Consultation and FWCC continues to be the lead organization in the project's relationship with United Nations Welfare and Relief Association that manages the Refugee Camp in which it is located. The Play Center was founded in 1976 when 2 European Friends were visiting Ramallah and expressed an interest in starting a play center at one of the refugee camps. Over the years it has been a project of the Ramallah Friends Meeting and has undergone a number of changes. In 1992 a fire destroyed most of the original building in the camp and a lot of equipment. At one time there were 2 groups, one meeting at the annex of the Ramallah Friends Meeting in town and the other group meeting next to the Girls UNRWA School in the Amari Camp. After the roof of the annex was condemned in 1996 the group meeting in town had to stop and there was only one group. As you can imagine there is a long waiting list for the Play Center which can now take 42 children aged 5 to 5 ½ who stay for a year before moving up to the UNRWA Schools, one for girls and one for boys. The children start learning English and Arabic as well as their numbers at the center. This year there are plans for a music program with musicians from the Barenboim-Said project who are working in Ramallah. Usually each family is allowed only one child per year but the Play Center has had twins and one year even triplets! The Center is mixed which is unusual for Muslim communities; the teachers and supervisor try to keep an even number of boys and girls. Wafieh Said Attyah is the main teacher who has been with the Play Center for 17 years. The assistant this year is Arej Eldin-Dibi who is a graduate of the Play Center since Reema Abuadamah is on maternity leave.
When UNWRA started to build a new addition to the Girls School in March 2003 the Play Center had to move to temporary premises. The first move was not far away in the home of one of the women in the camp, but the space was cramped, both inside and out. Then in May of that year the children and teachers moved to the Youth Club Building in the camp. The advantage of this space was a nice grassy play area with play equipment, but again the rooms inside were small and cramped. The children stayed for almost all of that academic year while the new addition was being built. In the winter months when the rains came, it was cold and damp. Teachers and children alike rejoiced when they were able to move to the new rooms in May 2004. There is one big room (12 x 5 meters square) with new tables and chairs, a sink and storage space, a toilet block, and a smaller room for small group and music activities. Although there is not as much play space outside as the original site, there is new play equipment for the children. And there are radiators so the children will be warm and dry in the winter. In June 2004 when Bronwyn Harwood of the Europe and Middle East section of FWCC came to Ramallah, the Play Center was officially opened.
Violet Zarou has officially retired after 22 years of supervising the Quaker Play Center although Violet will be visiting the children from time to time. Her long years of service and commitment are appreciated so much. Her role in keeping the momentum going at the Center was so important, particularly during the turbulent times in the history of the project. She was willing to go to the camp anytime there was trouble, for instance if a teacher was sick, there was flooding or if there were occasional break-ins. She had a very good relationship with the camp community and the mothers in particular over the years. Today when Violet is shopping in Ramallah or in El Bireh, people stop her and thank her for her part in the Play Center – as parents, grandparents or as graduates of the Play Center.
The new Supervisor is Muna Khleifi whose first name means 'hope' in Arabic. Muna was born and raised in Ramallah, is married and has two children, a boy and a girl who are students at Friends School. Muna has studied at Bethlehem University, the YWCA and recently at Bir Zeit University. She worked for the British Council for 18 years managing different arts activities from painting to theater, dance and music. She also helped many students pursue post graduate degrees in the UK as Scholarship Officer. Muna is very enthusiastic about the development of the Amari Play Center and helping the children to share, love and respect each other as they play and learn pre-reading and numbers before they go on to the First Grade at the UNRWA Schools in the camp. Empowering self-respect and positive communication are also key issues which the Play Center has fostered since the very beginning.
This project is an example of a ray of hope for children in the Amari Camp in a very dark time for the people of Palestine. These children represent the future in this war torn land. The Center is supported by European and American Friends with support from FUM, FWCC and especially from USFW. Anyone who has been able to visit the Play Center would agree that the children are a joy and a delight to see.