Children living in the refugee camps in the territories illegally occupied by the Israeli forces have had their childhood stolen from them. The conditions in which they are forced to live and grow up have become steadily worse during the second Intifada and they have very little opportunity to experience any of the normal experiences and pleasures of childhood.

• They have nowhere to play
• It is often impossible for them to go to school
• They have seen friends injured or killed
• Observing violence is a normal part of their every day existence
• They have seen either their own homes or the homes of friends destroyed
• Many have family members, including parents in prison. It is usually impossible for children to visit family members in prison
• Children who are ill or have disabilities are often not able to obtain proper treatment or support
• Children live in over crowded conditions, usually in families where there is no wage earner in the house
• Children live in extreme poverty

The cost to these children is huge:

• Many are suffering from psychological problems. Most children wet the bed, suffer from sleep disturbance and other signs of disturbance
• Many children are malnourished, both because of poverty in the camps and because the trauma they have experienced leads to problems in absorbing essentials nutrients
• Children cannot learn, both because they cannot attend school and because they cannot concentrate when they are in school

Sheffield PSC is trying to work with Palestinian people in the camps to bring some sense of hope and normality to the lives of these children.

• The projects themselves decide how money should best be used to benefit the children
• Wherever possible resources are bought locally in order to benefit the local economy
• Equipment for the projects is manufactured locally, using local skills and Palestinian labour.