School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Before the IDF invasion of Gaza in late 2023, the effects of the ongoing Israeli-imposed blockade of Gaza had had a destructive impact on the lives of children and their families. Restricted movement of people and goods crippled the economy and caused widespread unemployment. Before October 2023, 80% of Palestinians in Gaza lived in poverty.
Mercy-USA supported this very important project for children in Gaza before the invasion in 2023.
Before the IDF invasion of Gaza in late 2023, the effects of the ongoing Israeli-imposed blockade of Gaza had had a destructive impact on the lives of children and their families. Restricted movement of people and goods crippled the economy and caused widespread unemployment. Before October 2023, 80% of Palestinians in Gaza lived in poverty.
The Covid-19 pandemic made the lives of Palestinians even more difficult but Palestinians who are blind or visually impaired were at an even worse disadvantage. Seen as a burden to the struggling community, blind or visually impaired persons were often marginalized from society and didn't have access to resources for self-sufficiency. Mercy-USA supported an important education project operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) that offered blind or visually impaired children early intervention and subsequent integration into mainstream schools. This special school provided material and technical support to the children to access learning.
Before the invasion of Gaza, Mercy-USA provided the funds to rehabilitate critical infrastructure of the school facility. We funded improvements to important solar power systems that powered the school facility and air conditioning units. We provided shaded shelters for the children so they were not left in the hot sun waiting for transportation and other activities.
Finally, we provided tablets for students to enable them continue their education during times of remote learning.
Because many children at the school have limited mobility, Mercy-USA provided a bridge between school buildings as well as an elevator that makes all parts of the school easily accessible for the children.
The children received eyeglasses to improve their impaired vision if appropriate. They were assisted by a Braillist, and taught to use the Perkins Braille machine as well as special technology to open up new worlds of information previously not available. Children were taught basic life skills and how to successfully navigate the world around them. Along with life skills, the children were kept on grade level with mainstream curriculum.
One of the most important components of this school was the new integration program. The goal of this program was to integrate the children into mainstream schools by grade 4, allowing the students to become fully engaged members of the community. UNRWA teachers were being taught how to accommodate the visually impaired students and were able to facilitate their learning on par with their other sighted students. By fully integrating the children into mainstream schools in Gaza, they not only gained the same educational opportunities as their sighted peers, the greater community learned to value them as equals in the society.