UNRWA Holds ‘Gaza Summer Fun Weeks’ for 120,000 Palestinian Children

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has kicked off its “Gaza Summer Fun Weeks,” designed to help Gaza’s children deal with the psychological effects of the current conflict and their difficult living conditions. Some 120,000 children ages four to 14 who attend 83 UNRWA schools across Gaza will participate in events over the next month. The opening ceremony for the program, which was not held in recent summers due to the coronavirus pandemic, was held on Wednesday. “The Summer Fun Weeks will provide children with a safe place to play, psychological relief from the circumstances in which they live, and most importantly a chance just to be children; free of the adult-sized worries and pressures so prevalent in Gaza. The Summer Fun Weeks will ensure psychosocial support for children at a time when it is most needed, after the recent conflict, providing an opportunity for the children of Gaza to enjoy themselves and learn new skills,” according to the UNRWA website. The program also provides 2,750 short-term employment opportunities for Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA’s Job Creation Program.