Empowering Conflict-Affected Communities in Gaza through Safe and Inclusive Education

Empowering Conflict-Affected Communities in Gaza through Safe and Inclusive Education

Ajyal Association for Creativity and Development, in partnership with Taawon, is implementing “Empowering Conflict-Affected Communities in Gaza through Safe and Inclusive Education – Gaza Deserves.” The project seeks to restore conflict-affected children’s access to learning, protection, and psychosocial support. It runs from 1 March to 30 November 2026.

Two Temporary Learning Spaces will operate in Gaza North and/or Gaza City, subject to safe access, serving 400 children aged 6–17. At least 50 percent will be girls, with children with disabilities included. They will combine accelerated foundational literacy and numeracy, social-emotional learning, play, and creative expression within protective learning environments.

A three-tier psychosocial support model will provide universal support, focused group and individual assistance for those with elevated needs, and safe referrals for high-risk cases. The project aims to improve children’s psychosocial well-being, emotional regulation, social interaction, learning participation, literacy, and numeracy.

Eight local educators will be trained and engaged through a Cash for Work mechanism, supporting livelihoods while strengthening local capacity in trauma-informed education, safeguarding, and psychosocial support. 300–400 caregivers and community members will join sessions on positive parenting, child well-being, protection awareness, and referral pathways.

Implementation will include codes of conduct, trained safeguarding focal points, confidential reporting channels, and child-friendly feedback and complaints mechanisms. Through this approach, the project will reduce learning loss, enhance children’s safety and resilience, strengthen community ownership, and prepare children for future reintegration into formal or non-formal education pathways.