O BROKEN TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

Bethlehem today In the broken town of Bethlehem, hope is in short supply. Right across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, many children, caught in the literal and emotional crossfire of the conflict, have lived a childhood of pain and fear.

The ancient town of Bethlehem is located in the West Bank, about five miles south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem today (The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, along with the Gaza Strip, constitutes the occupied Palestinian territories. These areas have been occupied by Israel since 1967.)

The YMCA Christian Aid partner the YMCA runs development programmes in the West Bank, including a rehabilitation programme, vocational training, women’s training and advocacy work.

The rehabilitation programme is located on the eastern edge of Bethlehem in Beit Sahour, and is the focus of our appeal. It offers counselling, physical rehabilitation and vocational training to those injured or traumatised in the West Bank as a result of the conflict. The YMCA

Devastating injury Noor Rabia is 17. He lost his hand in an explosion three years ago. He was devastated, retreated into himself, and dropped out of school.

Processing the trauma Thanks to the YMCA, Fatin Al Shoppi has been Noor’s counsellor for three years, helping him to process the trauma, imagine a different future and purchase a prosthetic hand.

Hope for the future ‘Fatin made me see that I have more life to live – more hope.’ Now Noor is back at school, and able to plan for his future.

Help more Children like Noor £8.50 could pay for one traumatised child to attend a group art-therapy session. £25 could provide a day's vocational training for a disabled person, teaching them olive-wood carving as a trade. £55 could fund counselling for a child for two days.