Emergency Community Based Rehabilitation Services Addressing the Needs of Children with Serious Injuries and Disabilities

Our Emergency Community Based Rehabilitation Services Addressing the Needs of Children with Serious Injuries and Disabilities project, provided essential services to children in Gaza.

Together with our three local partner NGOs, Welfare Association carried out needs assessments throughout Gaza in the following governorates:

-          Jabalia Rehabilitation Society: covered the North of Gaza

-          National Society for Rehabilitation: covered Gaza Governorate

-          Palestinian Medical Relief Society: covered Khan Younis Governorate

A total of 1,297 children with injuries and disabilities benefitted from project services. (The project supported 297 children more than originally planned).

A range of rehabilitation services were provided for these children in a total of 24,698 different rehabilitation sessions. These sessions included nursing services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychosocial support. The children’s parents were trained so they can continue their child’s exercise routines once the project ends. In addition, community awareness-raising sessions helped their families and the local community to be more aware of the needs of children with disabilities, in order to help facilitate their inclusion at school and more generally in the wider community.

40 homes were also adapted for the use of children with disabilities, which helped improve their mobility and independence at home. (Four more houses benefitted from the project than originally planned, at no extra cost.) As did the purchase of 409 assistive devices which were purchased and distributed to 358 children.