This was the first opportunity PfP had to visit the playground since its establishment in 2009. PfP founder, Susan Abulhawa, was delighted to report back that the playground looks great and the kids are getting great use out of it. Susan took the opportunity, while in Lebanon, to visit the camp and spend some time with the kids at Nahr el Bared. It was then she noticed that there is a
“…..that letter made my day ……It is worth all the efforts that we did at the fund raising party, and makes me feel that we need to do more so we can help more and more of our children.” Palestinian Liberation Organization Refugees Affairs Department Popular Committee of Services Jenin Camp Acknowledgment Honorable, Playgrounds for Palestine In co-ordination with
Playgrounds for Palestine (PfP) is always looking for exciting new ways to raise much needed funds to build playgrounds for children in Palestine. This year is no exception, as PfP founder Susie Abulhawa will put on her racing shoes and run this year’s Philadelphia Half Marathon on September 21st. http://www.ingphiladelphiadistancerun.com/home.html And in case Abulhawa hasn’t put her
September 12 was no ordinary day for the kids of Nahr El Bared Camp. Over 200 children gathered in the Mazen Afifi Playground for a fun day organized by PfP partners Bait Atfal Assoumoud and ANERA. The purpose of the event was to entertain the children and at the same time embellish the park established by PfP, MECA, and the Afifi’s in partnership with
When you help PfP fundraise by buying our olive oil or hosting an olive oil party, you are doing more than simply providing playgrounds for Palestinian children. The World Bank estimates that Palestinian agriculture accounts for about 25% of the GDP, and olive trees are raised on at least 45% of all cultivated land. Traditionally, the Palestinian market for olive oil was internal, production met demand, and there were not excesses of oil to be exported to other markets. Since 2006, however, Palestinian farmers have increased production dramatically, and the increase in supply means that there is tons of oil available to export. It has been a challenge for farmers to find markets for these exports. Other Arab countries, notably Jordan, have provided small markets, but they have also developed their own olive
On August 12th, PfP is screening Saverio Costanzo’s 2004 film Private. This film explores the Palestinian situation through the means of an allegory. Here’s a short description: “Inspired by real events, documentary filmmaker Saverio Costanzo’s feature debut is a minimalist psychological drama about a Palestinian family of seven suddenly confronted with a volatile situation in their home that in many ways reflects the larger ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people.” (Palestine Online Store) And here’s what you need to know: WHAT: PfP’s screening of Private WHERE: Ethical Society Building–1906 Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia PA WHEN: Wednesday August 12th, 2009 @ 7PM On August 15th, PfP is screening a second film, the documentary Jenin Jenin. This film features accounts of Palestinian’s who survived the Jenin Massacre of 2002. Here’s a short description: “This documentary
Thanks to all of you, our gala dinner and concert proved to be a wonderful evening and a successful fundraiser! We raised over $17,000 and still counting. To read all of the sordid details, click here To watch a video of the best moments of the evening, click here To donate, click here
On May 3, 2009, PfP will host a wonderful evening with friends and supporters for the benefit of the children of Gaza. The evening will feature a concert by renowned Lebanese singer/songwriter May Nasr. The evening will feature a concert by renowned Lebanese singer May Nasr. You can listen to her music online. Her voice is mesmerizing. Trained by Zaki Nassif, a composer for Fairuz, she is one of the few artists who can truly sing Fairuz songs with their full meaning and liveliness. It was the knowledge of this potential that brought Zaki Nassif out of retirement upon hearing May�s voice. The event will take place at the beautiful ACE
When I first learned of Playgrounds for Palestine’s incredible mission and gifts to children in need of hope, the obvious reaction was how can I help? After a few conversations, I found out about the wonderful olive oil that comes from this holy land and how the purchase of it brings goodness to so many. I had no idea of the reverence of the olive trees in this region of the world, and the history of these 2000+ year old trees. The privilege of having olive tree in ones’ family and passing them down through centuries of people,
Dear friends, family, and supporters of PfP – Please Sponsor Us! As many of you know, Ramzy Baroud and I are teaming up this year to run the Philadelphia Marathon in November to raise money and awareness of PfP. Toward that goal, on Sunday, 21 September, I (along with my wonderful neighbor, Nelson Dunham) ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon, mostly as a half way point in training, but also to put on the table for this email – to ask you to support us! You can see my (unimpressive) results by going to Searchable Results and typing in my name for the Half Marathon. Ramzy and I aren’t setting any records. Each of us has been told previously by our doctors that we could never run again. Ramzy had a
We are excited to announce the launch of an initiative we’ve been working on for a while. PfP established a school in Gaza for grades 1-5. We’re in our third week now of operation and it’s amazing. The school is a mixture of traditional and non-traditional learning. The first few days were focused on getting to know each other, consulting with children about what they want to get out of the school, how
Enjoy, laugh, play! Our donation is for the children of Palestine in memory of our beloved friend, Marita Boullata. Marita lived in Palestinian in her early marriage. She championed its land, culture and people, especially children.