Dear Colleagues, Friends and Family, 

In an effort to raise awareness and much needed funds, Ramzi and I have decided this year, to join the Cycling4Gaza#C4G2015. C4G2015 will support the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund‘s (PCRF) newly launched Pediatric Mental Health Project in Gaza. The goal is to assess children’s needs, provide them the service they require, and train social workers in Gaza on the topic. We are dedicated to raising 286,000 USD to support the launch and running of the project for a year.

Both Ramzi and I are originally from Gaza. We are parents to three children. We are uncle and auntie to many young and blessed nephews and nieces - for that we feel a strong sense of responsibility to contribute in whatever little way towards raising awareness and funds for this special cause. It is with no doubt that despite spending much of our lives away from Gaza, our heart and soul remains deeply rooted with our families and the younger generation that have suffered endless wars and have been disadvantaged in many ways - yet the smile still remains on their faces!

We both feel that it is time to give back to our home town and to the children of Gaza. Ramzi, will be participating for the fourth time whereas for me, this will be the first time. My motivation really came about, not because I am a passionate cyclist, like Ramzi, but more so from the project brief that I read and the specific purpose of this particular fundraising event. 

Unicef estimates 373,000 children in Gaza are in desperate need of psycho-social support. However, given the continuous strain on health resources, mental health issues are often sidelined, leaving thousands of children without appropriate medical attention to heal their traumas and mental scars. If you would like to understand more about mental health trauma please click here.

​To date, social workers have received extensive training on administering the two screening questionnaires prepared by the medical professionals assigned by the PCRF. Over 1,300 children have been screened by 5 field workers to date and their subsequent care program is currently being developed.

We both thank you for your support and wish for you to know that your contribution will certainly make a difference and will touch the heart of a young needy child.

Will keep you posted on our progress as we cycle 300 KM between 24th - 26th of July 2015, from Amsterdam to Hague over the summer. Having completed this write up I will now kick off my training preparations! 

Thank you from the children of Gaza!

The PCRF is a non-profit organization that predominantly provides medical relief for children under Israeli military occupation. It is the main organization in the region that sends injured children abroad for free medical care and brings in expert volunteer surgery teams to provide medical care and training for local medical personnel.  Over 1,000 children have been sent to the US for free medical care and over 10,000 children have received local medical care from visiting surgery teams.

The 2014 war on Gaza left thousands of children injured not only physically but also psychologically. Today, approximately 373,000 children in Gaza suffer from emotional and psychological trauma and are in dire need of mental care support and reintegration into society.

The objective of the Gaza Mental Health Project is to assess children’s needs, provide them the service they require and to train social workers on administering screening questionnaires. Over 1,300 children have been screened by 5 field workers to date and their subsequent programs are currently being developed.