Amid the psychological and social challenges facing children affected by the ongoing conflict and displacement in the Gaza Strip, MA’AN Development Center continues to implement the “Play for Recovery” activity under the project “Emergency Psychosocial Support and Child Protection Services for Children and Caregivers Affected by the Ongoing Conflict and Displacement in Gaza,” funded by UNICEF.
The activity aims to provide children in Gaza with physically and emotionally safe spaces through structured play sessions that help them express their feelings, cope with the effects of the difficult experiences they have endured, and strengthen their ability to adapt and recover.
The activity targets school students from Grades 2 to 5. Each group participates in 12 Play for Recovery sessions, with each session lasting 90 minutes and held three times per week. The activity is implemented in 10 UNICEF-supported schools across the governorates of the Gaza Strip, as well as in the communities hosting these schools, with the aim of reaching as many students as possible and providing them with psychosocial support in safe and accessible environments.
The “Play for Recovery” activities focus on several key objectives, including:
Providing physically and emotionally safe environments that help regulate children’s stress-response systems.
Creating opportunities for children to express themselves and develop their ability to identify, communicate, and express their feelings and emotions.
Facilitating experiences of empowerment and control to strengthen self-awareness and self-esteem.
Promoting social connectedness and a sense of belonging by building awareness of oneself and others and forming new relationships.
Developing social and emotional skills through trauma-informed approaches.
As part of the follow-up to the implementation of the “Play for Recovery” activities, a UNICEF delegation visited the activity space at Khaled Bin Al-Walid School in Nuseirat. The delegation included Rania Samour, Child Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer, and Mr. Edward Bashoof, Regional Mental Well-being Adviser.
During the visit, female students participated in the “Our Growing Garden” activity under the self-awareness component. The activity helps children recognize the different aspects of themselves and understand how they grow and change over time.
By planting and caring for symbolic plants, children learn that their own growth and well-being require time, care, and support. When they bring their plants together, they create a shared garden that symbolizes the importance of growing together and reminds them that beautiful things flourish when they receive care and support.
Through its child protection and psychosocial support activities, MA’AN Development Center reaffirms its commitment to continuing to provide safe and supportive spaces for children in the Gaza Strip—spaces that enable them to play, express themselves, communicate, recover, and grow despite the difficult circumstances they face.
