Adelaide ophthalmologist, Dr Francis Nathan, has been travelling to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and to Palestine for many years. He has provided equipment and training for eye surgeons, as well as carrying out countless operations in various locations restoring sight to Palestinians. in 2017, APPEH facilitated funding one of his trips. In partnership with Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA), we will be raising further funds in 2018.
Ma`ana (Meaning) Center runs as part of the EMMS hospital in Nazareth. It provides emotional therapy to children and their parents in Nazareth and nearby areas, helping children resume a normal and healthy development.
The center was established in 2006 as a small unit providing therapy for traumatised families after the second Lebanon war. The aim is to develop services to reach and help more suffering families. In 2013, three clinical psychologists treated 35–45 families in weekly sessions and provided counselling to the Child And Family Center and to after-school club for children with behaviour problems.
Demand is growing, as is the waiting time for treatment due to a lack of staff. The hospital suffers financial difficulties so a request was made by Najla Asmar, clinical psychologist and Manager of Ma`ana Center, for APPEH to fund the salary of $67,860 per year for an extra therapist. This was beyond the current capacity of APPEH. Instead an offer of $10,000 was made to contribute to the salary of a therapist and funding of much-needed psychological and psychometric assessments for the hospital library.
APPEH is looking for donors to support this vital project.
Project 7APPEH is proud to have supported UNRWA’s Textbook Development program, which is creating English language textbooks for Palestinian refugee children in Lebanon. UNRWA are in the process of completing grade 3 part 1 English textbooks and will be introducing these to schools at the beginning of the new scholastic year in October.
Last year (Project 2), APPEH funded the purchase of three computer and software packages necessary to produce these texts, as well as training in the use of the software. Now the project has gained momentum and needs more hardware and software. Continue Reading…
The Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC) is based in Ramallah and has offices throughout the West Bank. Over the last 15 years, the TRC has deployed its unique multidisciplinary approach to mental health from a human rights-based perspective and has directly treated over 15,000 survivors of violence since its inception. The TRC offers a full range of services to assist victims to fully recover from their debilitating traumas as they transition towards survivors and advocates of human rights. Continue Reading…
Samar Habib began her two-year term as the AVI volunteer to UNRWA in September 2012. Samar is a Palestinian-born Australian, so she has an enormous headstart. It’s a great opportunity for APPEH, not only for our ongoing investment in our education program but also to strengthen Australian–Palestinian connections. More news soon about her projects.
APPEH recognises the importance of monitoring and evaluation of all its projects. Thus it funded Dr Emily Steele (who had earlier evaluated the visit of Palestinian educators Malak and Iman to Australia), to visit Lebanon in October 2012. Emily’s main roles were to evaluate the APPEH English Language Textbook Support Project, explore options for APPEH to continue their supportive role in Palestinian educational activities, and collaborate with AVI volunteers Shazleen Lateef and Samar Habib about possible future projects.
Emily also met with AVI Regional Manager, Cassandra Mathie, to discuss the ongoing partnership with AVI, UNRWA and APPEH and the opportunities for program support and development. A summary of her report will be posted shortly.
Throughout its existence, APPEH has worked closely with Australian Volunteers International (AVI).
In April 2012 AVI nominated a short-term volunteer to UNRWA Lebanon in the role of English Language Adviser: Curriculum Support. The volunteer visited Adelaide on 4 May before leaving Australia for her new post. While in Adelaide she met with Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) staff including English as a Second Language support staff, leadership consultants and the assistant national director of the Northern Region. The volunteer commenced work in late June and reported that her project went well. Continue Reading…
Project 2APPEH supports UNRWA’s Education Reform, part of which is to address the inadequacy of the Lebanese Ministry of Education’s textbooks that have been used in English language classes in UNRWA Palestinian schools. The APPEH English Language Textbook Support Project was established to train UNRWA staff involved in textbook production in the use of new hardware and software, and to support the textbook team to design new textbook materials by mid 2012 (specifically Enjoy English! Grade 2 Part 1 Student Book, Activity Book and Teachers Book, as well as cards and posters).
To achieve these aims, APPEH engaged a consultant, Hamish Walker, at ‘volunteer’ rates to train the textbook team in the use of PhotoShop, InDesign and Illustrator. Continue Reading…
We are still seeking investors to purchase each of the following for our English Language Textbook Support Project. To date we have received support for a software package and one computer and would very much appreciate your support in contributing to or purchasing any of the remaining items. Continue Reading…
Provision of mentoring and technical support for the UNRWA Lebanon Field Education Department in the discipline of English Language teaching and learning.
During the course of 2010, in his capacity as English Language Adviser, the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) volunteer Richard Steele had discussions with UNRWA about developing a partnership between the UNRWA Lebanon Field Office’s Education Department and South Australia’s Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS). Continue Reading…