DSPR (aka NECC) was launched in 1952 to serve the 198,000 Palestinian refugees in Gaza following the formation of the state of Israel (Nakba) — today, that number is over 1.9 million.
DSPR has developed three areas of specialism: early years and maternal health, training and equipping young people with employment skills and providing psychosocial trauma support to children, parents and young people in their training centres.
DSPR
(Also known as NECC)
Amos has partnered with DSPR’s youth training and psychosocial programmes since 2011, as youth unemployment was so high due to the Israeli Blockade of Gaza that had begun in 2007 and because young people saw such little hope for the future.
Before 7th October 2023, DSPR had four technical and vocational training centres in carpentry, metalwork, electrical engineering, solar power and refrigeration, alongside courses in advanced dressmaking, secretarial studies, office management and Gaza’s first women-only graphic design course. English language teaching, specialist mentoring into employment and psychological support was provided to all students.
Following the 2008/9 war on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead, DSPR started providing psychosocial trauma support to children, parents and young people for the post-traumatic stress that was evident among so much of the population.
Ongoing trauma
Initially set up as a temporary response, they soon realised that the living conditions in Gaza and frequent attacks meant that they had to provide this as a continuous specialised service to address ongoing trauma. They set up play therapy programmes for children and groups, including 1:1 support programmes for parents (and families).
At the start of the war in October 2023, DSPR had to close all their health, psychosocial support and training centres as they were in areas targeted by the Israeli assault. They opened a health and trauma support unit for women and children in Rafah that treated 28,000 people and provided psychosocial support to 15,000 children, their families and bereaved mothers.
Following the Israeli assault on Rafah, DSPR opened a mobile health clinic, providing treatment to 260 people a day. Later, they converted a wedding hall in central Gaza into a new medical centre, which also provides a base for their trauma support work with women and children.
In Gaza City, staff dug out equipment from their bombed-out health centres and used it to create temporary medical centres from which they also offer trauma support to children.
Take a look through our range of resources, blog posts, downloads and products to find out more about our Palestine Justice work.
“All of our work is a struggle right now, but we continue; we never stop. We are equipped with hope, empowered by people like our friends who support Amos Trust, determined to do what is best for our people.” Zoughbi Zoughbi from Wi'am Conflict Resolution Centre speaks to Katie Hagley.
At Amos Trust, ‘We do Hope’. Our monthly Stories of Hope blog post and email normally celebrates our partners around the world. But this month, we would like to celebrate all of you, our supporters, who, over the last 6 months, have been amazing at coming together to speak out, march and raise funds for our emergency appeal for Gaza and the West Bank.
This May, we have covered a lot of kilometres on the bike. From the hilly Lake District to the South of France, our supporters have been getting in the saddle in solidarity with Gaza and the West Bank and fundraising for our emergency appeal. Amos’ Meg Williams writes.
Amos has partnered with Al Ahli Baptist Hospital for over 30 years. On 17th October 2023, its diagnostic unit was hit by a shell in the first days of the war. Then on 17th October, Al Ahli was the first hospital in Gaza to be hit by a rocket. Read our blog post about the hospital one year on.
The UK is failing to stand up for international law, as Israeli forces are forcibly transferring civilians from northern Gaza to the south and relentlessly bombarding the area, making it uninhabitable and stripping away the essential conditions that sustain life. Read the full statement from 15 organisations.
“Despite a signed agreement outlining the Palestinians right to live there, these residents of Sheikh Jarrah have recently received a number of eviction orders, so that their homes can be given over to Jewish Israeli citizens who claim historic ownership of the land.” Ibrahim Abul-Essad writes about Jerusalem’s ongoing catastrophe.
“It was many years before I had the opportunity to meet and hear from Palestinians face to face. And it turned out to be decisive in pushing my thoughts and feelings forward.” Monday 29th November was the United Nations Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. Our Chair of trustees, Robert Cohen, gave these reflections to mark the day during our Beautiful Resistance carol service tour in Leeds.
In the 1970s, the Israeli government made public displays of the Palestinian flag a criminal offence in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinian artists began to circumvent the ban by using the watermelon because, when cut open, the fruit bears the national colours of the Palestinian flag — red, black, white and green. So, the humble watermelon became a representation of Palestinian resistance to this day.
In the future, the ‘7th October’ will hold a place of particular significance. For Israel, it will be remembered because of the loss of 1,200 lives, the brutality of the Hamas attack and the fate of 251 hostages. For Palestinians, and those who have watched the events of the last year unfold, it will be remembered for the destruction and hatred unleashed on Gaza that has left 40,000 dead, 10,000 missing, 100,000 injured, 2 million displaced and so much destruction.
Amos Trust
7 Bell Yard, London
WC2A 2JR
UK
Telephone:
+44 (0) 203 725 3493
Email:
[email protected]
Registered Charity No.
1164234
This item has been added to your shopping basket. Please click on the Checkout button below where you can choose your quantity.
Continue shopping Checkout Close
