UNICEF and ECHO help Jayyous children cope with stress

UNICEF and ECHO help Gaza children cope with stress:

Note: There is a clear mistake in UNICEF's title of the video. As you can tell it deals with children from Jayyous in the West Bank and not Gaza.

"JAYOUS VILLAGE, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 28 April 2009 The village of Jayous is next to the barrier that sits between Israel and the West Bank. Jayous is the venue for weekly demonstrations against the barrier and is the site of regular search-and-arrest operations.

The tense political situation has a devastating effect on Jayouss youngest residents. Afif Thaeir Shamasheh, 6, lives close to the barrier, and soldiers often come to his familys home. "I only get scared from soldiers when they come to our house," he said.

Recently, Afif has started acting up in school.

Mr. Khrisheh, Afif's teacher, arranged for Afif to join a counselling group supported by UNICEF and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department, or ECHO. As part of his treatment, Afif also receives individual counselling from a trained social worker.

UNICEF has worked with ECHO since 2003 to help Palestinian children and their families cope with the conflict and violence that affect their daily lives.

"The project is about protecting childhood in the Palestinian territories," said ECHO Head of Office Herve Caiveau. "UNICEF and ECHO aim to boost childrens self-confidence and give them hope for the future, and to help families cope with the challenges their children face."

To read the full story, visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/o..."



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