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GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE February 6, 2025 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently completed the construction and opening of a temporary school that will provide education and psychosocial support to 1,344 displaced children in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, the school, named “The Hope School,” will provide students with education in English, Arabic, mathematics and other core subjects taught by qualified teachers, in addition to counseling and social support.
“This project stands as an inspiring initiative that provides displaced students with a vital lifeline during challenging times,” Sherif said. “By establishing temporary schools and offering essential education and psychosocial support, the project empowers these students to persevere in their educational journey and navigate the emotional trauma of displacement.”
The project will address the disruption of education in Gaza and features the following benefits:
- Educational Continuity: Prevents students from losing an entire academic year, ensuring they can continue their education without significant disruptions.
- Knowledge Acquisition: Enables students to gain new knowledge and skills, which can be crucial for their future development and opportunities.
- Emotional Well-being: Provides psychosocial support to help students cope with the stress and trauma associated with displacement.
- Sense of Normality: Offers a sense of normalcy and routine, which can be particularly important for children and adolescents.
- Hope for the Future: Gives students hope for the future by providing them with opportunities to learn and grow, despite their challenging circumstances.
Baitulmaal constructed the temporary school and furnished the classrooms, and UNICEF will operate the school.
According to the UN, the majority of Gaza’s schools have been bombed or turned into shelters for displaced people, leaving Gaza’s estimated 625,000 school-aged children unable to attend classes. All 12 of Gaza’s higher education institutions have been destroyed or damaged. Over 39,000 students were unable to graduate in 2023, and more than 45,000 first graders were unable to start their education as of September 2024, according to UNICEF. Prior to the recent escalation in violence in the region, Palestine had consistently high literacy rates, placing it among the highest globally, according the the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The absence of schooling has impacted the social, cognitive, and emotional development of children in the region.
Baitulmaal has been working in Palestine for more than a decade providing food, clothing, education support, seasonal giving, emergency aid and healthcare in Palestine, in addition to operating 400 water tanks in Gaza. Since October 7, 2023, Baitulmaal has been on the ground in Gaza providing food, shelter kits, hygiene supplies, clean water, psychosocial support, temporary housing, medical aid, Ramadan meals, Udhiyah programs, and other emergency aid.
Baitulmaal continues to provide aid during the current crisis. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to Baitulmaal’s efforts in Palestine, please visit their website at Baitulmaal.org.
Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.
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Baitulmaal Special Project: The Hope School in Gaza
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