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Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes Arts Exhibit in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized the Art Exhibit for the children in Deir Al Balah Area on August 19^th and 20^th at Al-Khidr Library for Children and Al-Hakoora and Al Bayyara Playgrounds.

The art exhibit aims at displaying all the products and art works of the children that they have done during 2017 summer under “Kherna fi deerna” calendar. It also motivates the children to produce and display simple educational and artistic products using modern design techniques. The exhibit, in addition, aims at developing the children’s capacities in best-using the available environmental capacities.

The exhibit came after conducting several courses in arts at NAWA’s main office, Al Khidr Library for Children, and Al-Hakoora and Al Bayyarah Playgrounds. Such courses include: “Rotoosh,” “Graphics,” and “Letters from Wool I & II.”

Najla’ Abu Nahla, an art animator at NAWA said, “The exhibit and the preceding courses showcase the visual arts to the children especially through the children works. NAWA works hard to provide all the activities to achieve the children’s content and make them happy.”

Also, the participating children expressed their happiness for their enrollment in one of its kind art courses, and they asked for more similar courses.

Al-Khidr Library for Children Organizes “Oral History Collection related to Al Khidr Monastery” Project

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has organized a ten-day- activity entitled “Oral History Collection related to Al Khidr Monastery.” About (120) children living in Deir Al Balah Area, and aging (14-17) have participated in the project.

The activity aims at raising the awareness amongst children and youths about the historical and archeological sites in the area including Al-Khidr Monastery which was recently restored and operated as a cultural library for the children. In addition, this helps in preserving the legacy of the past from loss. Then, the collection and documentation team will prepare a small booklet that includes all the information that the library team alongside the participating children managed to collect.

The project’s workdays are divided as follows: the first three days are specialized for recording, preservation and interpretation of historical information, based on the personal experiences and opinions of the people who were eye-witnesses of the past evidences. It includes folklore, myths, songs and stories passed down over the years by word of mouth. Then, the library team escorted the children in a community contribution which lasted for (4) days to clean the Saint Hilarion site where other sessions on the precious value of the archeological sites were given. At the end, (3) days were specialized for transforming the collecting materials into dramatic and theatrical shows.

At the beginning, the children were given an inception meeting to familiarize them with the nature of the project, objectives, and mechanism. The children also expressed their happiness about their participation in one of its kind project. Maysa’ Al-Aklouk, the library’s coordinator, and Amany Al-Najjar and Hasan Mizyed, two of the library animators, have warmly welcomed the children explaining for them the course agenda.

Maysa’ Al Aklook, the coordinator of Al Khidr Library for Children, said: “NAWA has initiated the project of “Oral History Collection related to Al Khidr Monastery” in an effort to preserve  the oral history of Deir Al Balah area, and what it includes.”

The children were delighted to participate in a quality project, the first of its kind in addition to learning new techniques in collecting oral history such as: how to interview others.

Under “Children’s Gate to the Future,”Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes a Community Contribution for the Children in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a community contribution especially for the children residing in Deir El Balah Area. The contribution activities were held on sporadic days starting from July 11^th, 2017 till August 01^st, 2017.

The contribution aims at encouraging the children to provide environmental services for the surrounding community they are living in through voluntary work. Such contributions look forwards to empowering the children and motivating them to offer services for free in a positive manner that reflects the team work. It also aims at teaching the children and training them to best use the available waste materials.

The contribution targets (15) children in Deir Al Balah area in addition to a number of interested volunteers. At the beginning, Mohammad Abu Ouda, a senior animator, welcomed the participating children explaining for them the community contribution’s idea, its nature, and its significance. He also gave the children the space to suggest themselves the ideas and the activities of the contributions.

During the contribution activities, the children in cooperation with the animators and other volunteers, cleaned the street, painted the scrap cars, the rubber wheels, and they planted trees and flowers inside. They all made a wood wall from the recycled woods.

Mohammad Abu Ouda said, “The prophet Mohammad PBUH recommended that ‘The most beloved of the people to Allah are the most beneficial for the people.’ Therefore, it is our responsibility to root the value of the voluntary work in the children.”

At the end, Mr. Abu Ouda thanked all those who participated in the contribution wishing that such values and concepts to be enhanced and promoted more and more. It is worth mentioning that such a contribution comes among a series of community contributions that NAWA implements with the children inside Deir El Balah Area. Also, the participating children expressed their happiness for their enrollment in one of its kind contribution, and they asked for more contributions.

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) Organizes a Final Ceremony for 2017 Summer Activities 

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a final ceremony for 2017 summer activities. The ceremony took place at Al-Hakoora Playground where hundreds of children and tens of parents  have attended and enjoyed watching  the ceremony parts.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Ms. Ola Abu Zaid, the coordinator of Children’s Gate to the Future Project, welcomed the attendants expressing her pleasure with providing the children with recreational services, cultural activities, and educational courses. She also displayed her happiness for organizing such a final ceremony before the start of the school. She also appreciated the great role played by all NAWA’s staff led by the animators, and she valued the trustworthiness of the children’s parents which pushed the activities in all NAWA’s facilities into success. Such facilities include: NAWA’s main office located in Deir Al Balah Area, Al-Khidr Library for the children, and Al Bayyara and Al Hakoora Playgrounds.

The ceremony included several theatrical shows, performed by the children. Such shows include: “Naji Al-Ali Show”, “The Three Sisters Play,” Dabkah traditional dance, and NAWA’s Chorus.

NAWA made sure that various activities of the summer season should  combine between preserving the traditional heritage along with the national identity, and rooting the nationalistic values amongst the children. They also train them on innovation and creativity, and acquiring them with the new skills.

Salem Ghannam, the coordinator of Al-Bayyara and Al-Hakoora  playgrounds,  noted that the ceremony reflects the events and summer activities’ concentration on creativity aspects amongst children in different fields as children were given with recreational, artistic, cultural, and educational activities during the holy month of Ramadan and summer.

The parents expressed their great happiness for the children’s enrollment in the summer activities, especially with the various purposeful activity calendars distributed among the children, their parents, and others.

At the end, NAWA administration thanked the children wishing them success in their schools, and wishing to see them in NAWA’s coming activities.

Under “Children’s Gate to the Future Project,” Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes” Creative Writing” for the Children in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a training course in “Creative Writing” for approximately (20) children in Deir El Balah Area. The course was held as a part of the ” Children’s Gate to the Future Project ”  at NAWA’s main office in Deir El Balah Area. The training was conducted by Ms. Rana Murtaja.

The course lasts for (15) sessions every Saturday and Tuesday where every session lasts for two hours from 9 am till 11 am. The twenty four-hour- course started on Saturday July 01^st, and it will last till Tuesday August 15^th. The course aims at helping the children in developing their skills in creative writing, and story-telling and narration as well as their abilities in critical and creative thinking. In addition, the course looks forward at improving the children’s reading abilities as the children participate in reading literary texts.

The course targeted about (20) children who are aging between (13) and (15) years, and who are interested in sharpening their skills in creative writing.

At the beginning of the course, Ms. Amal Al Rass, the project coordinator, welcomed the participating children, and Ms. Murtaja displayed for them a simple explanation about the course and its nature.

Amal Al Rass, the project coordinator, stated that this is the first time that NAWA holds this course which comes based on a need assessment for the children. She also added, “The various activities that NAWA organizes aim at exploring the literary and cognitive talents of the children. These activities seek at making reading and writing as daily activities in the lives of the adults and children.”

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes ” Idea & Image” Course for the Children in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a training course in photography entitled: “An Idea & Image” for approximately (10) children in Deir El Balah Area at the training hall at Al Hekayat Kindergarten in Deir El Balah Area. The course was held as a part of the ” Psycho-social Photography Program in Gaza,” and it  is supported by Pressure Cooker Arts . The course was conducted by Ms. Rehaf Al Batniji and Mr. Ahmed Salamah who were trained by Rich Wales, an international photographer who came to Gaza in 2016.

The course lasts for (14) sessions, and is held every Sunday and Wednesday where every session lasts for three hours from 9 am till 11 am. The sixty-hour- course includes the most important topics and theories in photography such as:  the law of thirds, the distribution of elements, the photo strengths and weaknesses, and the portrait and its types.

At the beginning of the course, Ms. Rehaf Al Batniji welcomed the participating children, and she displayed for them a simple explanation about the course and its nature.

Amal Al Rass, the project coordinator, stated that this is the second time that NAWA holds such course, and it comes after the recurrent request of the children.

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes “The Eid’s Carnival” for Children in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a recreational festival for the children on the occasion of  Eid al-Fitr entitled “The Eid’s Carnival.” It was held on Tuesday June 27^th, 2017 at NAWA’s playgrounds of Al-Bayyara and Al-Hakoora.

More than (200) children living in Deir El-Balah area have participated in the recreational event which began at 6:00 pm. The carnival included many activities like: the clown show, face painting, storytelling, singing folklore traditional songs, and holding cultural contests.

Mr. Salem Ghannam, the coordinator of Al Bayyara Playground, said that the main goal of this recreational day is creating an atmosphere filled with happiness and joy. He also thanked the playgrounds’ team for their tremendous efforts exerted for the success of this activity.

It is worth mentioning that the carnival comes as an integral part of a series of recreational activities implemented at Al Bayyara and Al Hakoora Playgrounds. Children along with their parents were overwhelmed with joy especially after joining most of the free playing activities. NAWA puts the children as a key priority in its activities to help them overcome all the mental traumas they went through.

Under “Children’s Gate to the Future,” Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Organizes “Arabic Calligraphy” Course for the Children in Deir El Balah

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has recently organized a training course entitled: “The Arabic Calligraphy” course for (25) children in Deir El Balah Area. The course was held as a part of the ” Children’s Gate to the Future Project ” at NAWA’s main office in Deir El Balah Area. The training was conducted by Mr. Hany Sarsour, a lecturer at Fine Arts Faculty at Al Aqsa University.
The course lasts for (12) sessions every Saturday and Tuesday where every session lasts for two hours from 9 am till 11 am. The twenty four-hour- course started on Saturday July 01st, and it will last till Tuesday August 15th. The course aims at helping the children in developing their writing in Arabic and developing indirectly their abilities in creative thinking.
The course included the basic rules of Ruqʿah and Naskh scripts in addition some specific calligraphic styles for writing in the Arabic alphabets.
At the beginning of the course, Mr. Hany Sarsour welcomed the participating children, and he displayed for them a simple explanation about the course and its nature.
Amal Al Ras, the project coordinator, stated that this is the second time that NAWA holds this course which comes based on a need assessment for the children.

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Starts (2017) Summer Activities

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) has started the summer activities 2017 on Saturday July 1^st. The summer activities come under “Kherna fi Deerna” activities.  They took place at NAWA’s different facilities in Deir Al Balah Area including:  NAWA’s main office, Al-Khidr Library for Children, and Al-Bayyara and Al-Hakoora Playgrounds.

The summer activities last for one month and a half, and they include a group of cultural, artistic, and recreational activities as well as courses that help children in gaining new experiences and acquiring new skills. There are also special meetings for mothers that cover educational and artistic topics and aim at strengthening the relationships between the children and their parents.

Amal Al Ras, a field coordinator, welcomed the children, and expressed her happiness towards the start of a new round of NAWA’s unique activities. NAWA also wishes that the children and their parents especially those who live in Deir Al Balah’s marginalized neighborhoods will enjoy such activities.

You can learn more about NAWA’s summer activities in the following link: https://www.facebook.com/Nawa.association/

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association Finalizes (2017) Ramadan Activities

Nawa for Culture and Arts Association (NAWA) finalized the activities of the holy month of Ramadan on Thursday June, 22^nd. The Ramadan month’s activities are entitled: “Ramadan Contributions: Itqan” and they come under “Kherna fi Deerna” activities.  They took place at NAWA’s different facilities in Deir Al Balah Area including:  NAWA’s main office, Al-Khidr Library for Children, and Al-Bayyara and Al-Hakoora Playgrounds.

Throughout these activities, children took part in NAWA’s activities as follows: “Sanabel” activities” for children under (6) years, “My Toy Out of My Story”, “Arts Carts” and “Ones & Tens” for children (7-9 years old), “Alphabets from Wools I” and “Numbers from Wools” for children (10-12 years old), and “Weave My Tale” and “Alphabets from Wools” courses.

The activities aimed at empowering the vulnerable children in Deir Al Balah Area through the non-formal education and increasing their access to cultural, recreational, and artistic activities. They also aimed at promoting their values and community-based morals during the holy month of Ramadan through creating educational tools for children and giving them to the children of Al-Hekayat Kindergarten and Al-Khidr Library for Children.

It is worth mentioning that Al Hakoora and Al Bayyara playgrounds had their own courses like: “Numbers & Alphabets”, “Creating Cuneiform Plates,” “Holding Ramdan’s Nights,” and “Narrating Prophets Tales.”

NAWA’s animators received positive feedback from the children as well as their parents. Amal Al-Ras, a field coordinator, stated, “We had a dramatic increase in the number of the participating children especially after distributing “Kherna fi Deerna” Calendar 2017.

There were big numbers of children from Deir Al Balah Area who came and visited NAWA’s facilities for the first time and decided doggedly to take part in its activities. Many children expressed their happiness and content towards NAWA’s various and rich activities.