Dar Assadaqa girls in Abu Dis football team

Abu Dis girls Football Team Train

The Abu Dis girls football team train twice weekly, their coach takes them through warm up exercises, ball skills and teamwork, before they play practice matches. The girls are really keen and enthusiastic about learning football skills, and are extremely excited about the possibility of coming to Camden.

Pictured below are some of the girls at football practice, with their coach. 

Volunteer Helena with the girls football team

A Message to the World by the Children of Dar Assadaqa

The children of Dar Assadaqa love art, drawing and painting. Their Art reveals much about their lives and hopes for the future. Even the smallest children show a political awareness, Palestinian flags and maps feature heavily in their art, whilst the older children depict their hopes for their country. Pictured below is a selection of the art, and the artists. 

A Trip to Abu Dis Park رحله الي منتزه وحديقة ابو ديس

A Trip to the Park

Abu Dis does not have an abundance of facilities for children, so a trip to  the park, and  the chance to take a dip in the small pool at the local park is a treat for the children. Pictured below, having fun in the park and the swimming pool.

Women's English Classes محاضرات انجليزي لنساء

Women Learn English at Dar Assadaqa. 

The Women's group meet three times a week to practice English conversation. Subjects covered include greetings, shopping, general conversation, cooking and household tasks, childhood and  giving and understanding diections. 

The classes are always a lot of fun!

Creative Writing in English! شعر بالغه الانجليزية رساله من اطفال فلسطين الى اطفال العالم

 Poetry Workshop

The students took part in a writing workshop with Helena. Working with writing frames, they wrote xome amazing poems about being a Palestinian teenager, and about their memories, see below!

I Remember

I have forgotten the sound of babies laughter

I have forgotten the taste of babies tears

I have forgotten the sight of them crawling

I have forgotten the feel of their touch

I have forgotten the small of babies after a shower

But I remember when they played

Sudain

                                                                  

I am Palestinian

I am happy and funny

I wonder if Palestine will be free

I hear bombs and guns

I see tanks and soldiers

I want to be a doctor to help the people

I am a girl in Palestine.

I pretend to live a nice life

I feel sad and hungry

I touch the impossible dream

I worry about poor people and refugees

I cry when I think about Palestine.

I am a girl in Palestine

I understand why this is happening

I say Palestine will be free forever

I try to help but I can’t

I hope the Occupation will not remain

I believe Palestinians are good

I am a girl in Palestine

                                                                            

I Remember

I have forgotten the sound of the rain

I have forgotten its natural taste

I have forgotten the sight of the beautiful storm

I have forgotten the touch of rain on my skin

I have forgotten the smell of nature after rain

But I remember when I went outside its true, the street became dangerous, not a lot of people go outside because of the storm.

 

                                                              I Remember

I have forgotten the sound of her voice

I have forgotten the taste of my mum’s food

I have forgotten the sight of my beautiful mother

I have forgotten the feeling of her hug

I have forgotten the small of my mother

But I remember when my mother played with me.

I Remember

I have forgotten the sound of the waves

I have forgotten the taste of fresh fish by the sea

I have forgotten the sight of the sea

I have forgotten the feeling of relaxation

I have forgotten the smell of salt water

But I remember playing in the sea at Jaffa, I remember fishing with my family

 Danya

 

I am Palestinian

I am happy and funny but I don’t have money

I wonder if I will get money?

I hear you talk

I will see you soon

I want to die I hate this life

I am happy and funny

I pretend I am a strong man

I feel angry because I want to

Touch the sky

I worry about failure

I cry. I want to die

I am happy and funny.

I understand I can fly

I try to fly

I hope to fly

I believe I can fly

I am like superman.

I am happy and funny

I am Palestinian

I am happy and funny

I pretend I am free

I feel angry

To touch the sky is forbidden

I worry about the soldiers

I am happy and funny

I cry in the night

I understand this life

I feel angry

I believe I can make Palestine free

I touch the ground

I am happy and funny

I am Palestinian

I am happy and funny, I jump like a bunny

I wonder if I can touch the sky

I wonder if I can fly

I see love going away

I pretend I am Russian mafia

I am happy and funny

I feel angry because I am hungry

I touch the ground then I turn around

I worry about school, I don’t want to be cool

I want good marks and swim in the pool

I cry a lot, I feel so hot

I am happy and funny

  

I Am Palestinian

I wonder if I’ll see you mum?

I hear you screaming

I see you in my dreams

I see our hands holding tight

I want everything to be allright

I am Palestinian

I pretend I am strong

I feel very wrong

I touch your beautiful hands

I worry because we never let go, our fingers entwined,

And a greater love you’ll never find.

I cry not to see you mum.

I am Palestinian

I understand your problems

I say I need her now

I hope to pull her hand from the ground

I believe I have her hand, nothing more

I am Palestinian

The younger students drew maps of Palestine and wrote their thoughts and feelings about their country within its borders.

A Visit to the Prisoner Museum and l Quds University

Fayez and Helena took the students on a visit to the Abu Jihad museum at Al Quds Universiy. The students saw artefacts created by prisoners, artwork and letters. They also went inside a reconstructed cell, to feel for a moment what it is like to be incarcerated.

Some of the students found rubber bullets and tear gas containers in the university grounds Fayez explained that the University has often been a place of conflict and clashes, with regular demonstrations held by students

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When we returned to the camp, the students made posters inspired  by the prison museum. The children are uncomfortably close to this subject, as all of them know people who have been arrested or are in prison. Pictured are Ahmed, Waleed and Yusuf with their Drawing of a Palestinian flag, which is now displayed at Dar Assadaqa

المخيم الصيفي لدار الصداقة صيف 2016

في شهر آب 2016 نظمت دار الصداقة مخيم صيفياً للفئات العمرية من سن 12-15 بمشاركة 30 طفل من أبوديس حيث إستضافة دار الصداقة معلمة بريطانية عملت كمتطوعة في المخيم بالاضافة الى عدد من المتطوعين المحليين وقد استمر المخيم لمدة 20 يوماً نفذت خلاله العديد من النشاطات المحلية ولم يتسنى لنا الحصول على أي تمويل لفعاليات خارج نطاق دار الصداقة واعتمدنا بالاساس على الجهد التطوعي للعاملين في المخيم. اشتمل المخيم على دورات تخصصية في اللغة الإنجليزية المحادثة وتعليم صناعة الأفلام التسجيلية والرسم ومهارات الحديث للجمهور بالإضافة الى النشاطات الترفيهية وزيارات لمؤسسات محلية كالدفاع المدني وجامعة القدس وبعض المصانع في منطقة شرقي القدس.

English Classes at Summer camp

The students have daily English classes at Summer Camp. These are a mixture of fun activities, conversation and creativity. Students have made maps of Palestine, and written their thoughts and feelings on their maps.

the boys and girls drawing the family tree

Diana is teaching English classes 

A Visit to the Museum of Maths

Fayez, Diana and Helena took the students to the Museum of Maths, part of Al-Quds University, where they had a go at interactive exhibits, 

The students had time to play in the park first!

Mohammed swinging on the bars

Issam intrigued by one of the maths puzzles

Salam, Dayna and Sudain at the museum

Fayez and Diana with the students at the museum

Working out some maths!

A Visit to Abu Dis Fire Station

The children were given a tour of Abu Dis Fire Station. The firemen explained how the Palestinian Fire Service works, and carefully explained how to use the equipment. The children were allowed to climb into the cab of the fire truck, and were each given a turn at using the high pressure water hose

Waleed in charge of the hose!

We all had a really fun time!!!

Summer Camp at Dar Assadaqa

The students attending Summer Camp have been enjoying a variety of different activities. As well as daily English lessons. students have been writing poems in English,visiting local places of interest like the Prisoner museum in Abu Dis and craft activities.

The students drew signs for CADFAs new office

Writing poems in English.

Diana ,Helena and Fayez .