Skeleton works on the first floor
SUMMER 2007
Dear Friends,
We are fast approaching towards the end of another school year. Exams and evaluations have taken most of our time in the first two weeks of June. Preparations for the summer programme are going ahead, the th last day of the school term is June 19th , and we leave for the camp in th th Tiberias on June 20th and return to Beit Jala on the 26th.
With the least expected appalling conditions in Gaza, we are quite uncertain as to how things will work out for the three Gaza children we have in our care; they have been waiting anxiously for their summer holidays to return home and be with their families. At the moment no one is allowed in or out of Gaza. We pray and hope that by the end of the month, the International Red Cross may be able to take them back. Matters are extremely vague at present.
Progress in the New School Building
Progress in the new building is moving smoothly, maybe because we are still using our share of the funding! Most of you who have dealt with building projects before know that they do not usually go as planned; there is always the delay and the unexpected extra expenses. Whilst digging the foundations in one part of the land, NO treasure was found, but instead digging further down than anticipated was required to reach solid rock. So deep, that it would actually make an additional under ground floor!! We had a choice of either use the space or cover it up completely. We decided to make use of the under ground floor, for it would be a pity to waste it. The completion of the under ground floor used another €30,000 (thirty thousand euro). The space could be used as store rooms, boiler and maintenance rooms and an indoor play room with facilities for the children.
Skeleton works on the first floor
Progress in the New School Building
Once the underground floor was completed, skeleton works on the first floor were rapidly executed and we will soon be ready to finish the concrete works of the first floor. Therefore, inauguration is going to be a bit delayed . We are aiming at April 2008.
We feel that our funds are diminishing, and we are trying to make sure that the lack of funds will not hinder us from carrying out the summer programme, first the camp in Tiberias followed by the summer courses at the school.
Al-Shurooq's Annual Excursion
For our annual excursion this year, we decided to visit Emmaus, the village in which our sixyear- old Mohammed Al-Fakih lives. His grandparents run a public swimming pool, and as we were offered free entrance, we took the chance. Only a few years ago, it took us at the most fifteen minutes to go from Jerusalem to Emmaus; yet, on June the 13th , 2007, it took us two and a half hours each way. We had to go first to Ramallah, and then traveled west through several isolated villages, of terribly rough and narrow roads. Once there, the children spent all day in the pool having a marvelous time. This trip made us appreciate the trouble and expense encountered whenever the parents bring the child to and from school. For Palestinians living in the country, life is made more difficult day after day, with the apartheid wall encircling round every area. No one is encouraged to visit that village any more, despite of its beauty and its Christian history.
Trip to Istanbul
The trip to Istanbul from the 18th till the 26th of April, 2007, was wonderful. Through the kindness of our friend, the necessary permits to fly from Ben Gurion Airport were obtained, and that saved us from going through Jordan, which would have been extremely difficult and more costly. We spent a very busy and exciting week. Our hosts at the Turkish Association for Spinal Cord Injury were very hospitable. They looked after us extremely well all during our stay. We did a great deal of sight seeing, but perhaps the one that was enjoyed the most was the boat trip on the Bosphorus.
On the first day of the festival, all participating groups joined in a parade and walked down to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Each group represented a country. Dressed in our national costume and holding high our Palestinian flag, we had the most memorable experience; especially as we were the only group representing Palestine. The next two days were spent attending performances of every country or group. Twenty-five countries and forty one groups participated; they were mostly from Eastern Europe, Russia, Holland, Germany,
Ireland, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. Our six girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves; and I am sure that for all of them, it was a superb and most memorable event. We would like to thank all the friends who supported our trip to Turkey through buying the DVD of the children singing and performing, and to all those who have contributed generously towards making this trip possible.
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 The girls touching a model fortress in Istanbul |
Mobility Training
Despite the fact that in the West Bank and Gaza there is a tremendous need for mobility trainers for the blind and visually impaired, we consider ourselves lucky to still have ours! None of our universities train mobility trainers, and those who are already trained have left the field over the years to either find other job or have completely retired.
Our mobility training programme is doing well. Mariam, who has been working as a mobility trainer with Al-Shurooq School for over twenty years now, trains the children in different aspects of mobility, therefore allowing them to have more self confidence and higher self esteem.
Mariam teaching Reem how
to use the cane on the street
Library and Book Production
Work is still being carried out as usual. We have almost completed typing on computer the text of the whole Palestinian syllabus of all the twelve grades. The Braille printer is worn out and decrepit, and we are trying to manage with it as much as we can. We will be working on getting a new one, as soon as we are ready to move into our own premises. We still have to investigate further, which kind of printer would be the most useful to our needs.
Once again, we thank you all most heartily for your love, prayers, and support.
Please note the change in our email address: info@nsfvh.org
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