COMMUNITY
New Center in Khan Younis, Gaza Strengthens Community
Oct, 2019
The community center of the Charitable Future Society in Khan Younis serves some 8,000 people. Anera built the facility in partnership with USAID as part of the Palestinian Community Infrastructure Development project. The PCID program ended in January, 2019.
First Floor: Kindergarten
The ground floor of the Gaza Charitable Future Community Center is full of laughter. The sounds of 130 energetic preschoolers fill the morning air. “The kids are so enthusiastic about school after the long summer break,” Lina, a teacher at the preschool, says.
The walls of the center are adorned with vividly rendered nursery rhymes in beautiful Arabic lettering. In her classroom, Lina huddles with a group of children to teach them the alphabet. Today they are learning the English letter “A.” “We try to teach them in a fun way. We have them call out all the words they can think of that have the letter,” she says.
The school day begins with some outdoor warm-up exercises. Today, the activities impart messages about proper hygiene using games and songs.
"The children have a lot of fun during these lessons, which helps make what they learn stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
The center is located in a neighborhood known as “Saqia,” meaning “water well” - a fitting name given that communities in Khan Younis traditionally formed near water sources. However, Ahmed Abu Assi, executive director of the center, says, “This community lacked a center to provide services for people in need.”
Second Floor: Training Hall
For many years, the Gaza Charitable Future Community Center in Khan Younis operated out of rented facilities. The scattered spaces around the city prevented the facility from providing a holistic package of services. “Now, with this three-story building, we’re able to host a wide range of activities in one place,” Abu Assi says.
Above the preschool, women are attending a training on how to provide psycho-social support to children. Most children in Gaza, particularly in areas near the border, display symptoms of psychological stress, due to their exposure to frequent incidents of violence. After the training, the teachers, children and their parents expressed their appreciation for the program and asked for further support in addressing the issue.
The community center of the Charitable Future Society in Khan Younis serves some 8,000 people. Anera built the facility in partnership with USAID as part of the Palestinian Community Infrastructure Development project. The PCID program ended in January, 2019.
The kindergarten and nursery are located on the ground floor, and the upper floors house classrooms, offices, a psycho-social support unit, a library, a multi-purpose hall, and a computer center. The design of the building uses and enhances natural lighting and air circulation.
