GCMHP Marks Closure of Sports for Smile Project

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme arranged a closing ceremony  on Monday, November 8, 2021 for Project: Sports for Smile - Phase Two, which is funded by the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ).

The ceremony was attended by the four clubs in cooperation with which GCMHP has implemented the project.

The closing meeting of the project was attended by Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, GCMHP’s Director General; Ms Noura Ashour, the GIZ technical officer of the project in Gaza; Qusai Abu Odeh, Director of Department of External Relations and Resource Development; Rawya Hamam, Director of Training and Scientific Research Department;  Eng Aisha Al-Bassiouni, Head of Projects and Resource Development Unit; and  Eng Hassan Al-Shaer the project’s coordinator as well as administration representatives of the partner clubs

The ceremony was also attended by Ms Khitam Abu Shawareb and Mr Hassan Ziadeh, psychologists at Gaza Community Mental Health Programme.

The project continued for about 2 years, during which time 500 children (275 boys, and 225 girls) in four clubs across the Gaza Strip,  benefited from  a variety of activities that provided them with psychological support through sport and recreation. These activities were implemented by 20 coaches (11 men and 9 women) through two sessions a week. 13% of the beneficiaries were children with disabilities.

The coaches underwent training on GBV and mental health issues. In addition  they were provided with individual professional supervision sessions over the project period.

Dr Abu Jamei addressed the attendees on the value of the project, explaining that it was designed to provide a qualitative mental health service for children in the Gaza Strip. He also explained the stages through which the idea of the project developed until it reached its present shape.

He also said thank you for the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) for funding the project, and the partner clubs, the coaches and the supervisors for their effort and hard work during the project.

On their part, GCMHP supervisors, who worked in the project, confirmed that the project's activities contributed to the promotion of children's mental health through the results achieved and through the improvement they, the coaches and the families of the children noticed.

Ms Ashour said that the project is one of the most important projects implemented by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) in Gaza, validating the efforts done by the all those who contributed to the project.

The representatives of sports clubs, also,  highlighted the need for continuing this type of intervention considering the great impact it ahcived in terms of improving the wellbeing of the children, expressing their hope for renewing this through implementing new projects. They also  extended their thanks to the GIZ and the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme,  and expressed their happiness with the results achieved through the project.