Hope Flowers School, Bethlehem | Introduction

<BODY> <H1><A HREF="intro-more1.html">The Hope Flowers School</A></H1> <H2>Background, aims and more about the school</H2> <P><I><B>The Hope Flowers School </B>is a unique example of progressive education in the Palestinian Territories, and a world leader in its field. The school was created to meet a need for a safe and supportive environment where children could grow and develop into future citizens of a peaceful and democratic Palestine. We are currently supported by many groups and individuals from a wide range of nationalities, faiths and political persuasions who share our philosophy of peace and democracy.</I></P> <H4>The founding of the school</H4> <P><B>The founder and original director, HUSSEIN IBRAHIM ISSA</B> (<I>may he rest in peace</I>) was the creative inspiration and driving force behind the establishment of the school. After his family was forced from their land in the 1948 war, Hussein Ibrahim Issa grew up in the harsh and restrictive environment of the Deheishe refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. As a result, and arising from his subsequent work as an educator and social worker in the West Bank, he experienced at first hand the deprivation faced by Palestinians, especially Palestinian children. Remarkably, he was not embittered by these experiences. Instead he was motivated to work tirelessly to help create conditions for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. His focus remained firmly upon combining the need for peace with the basic needs of Palestinian children.</P> <P>As a result,<B> Al-Amal Child Care Centre </B>opened in 1984. After surveying the West Bank, and in particular the area west of Bethlehem and south of Beit Jala, Hussein recognised the severe lack of basic social services, including childcare facilities. He also recognised that the ongoing occupation, and Palestinian resistance to it, had left many homes without male income-earners and with many mothers seeking work. This, combined with other factors of the occupation such as violence and uncertainty, had a direct negative effect on the physical, social and psychological health of children.</P> <P>As a trained and experienced educator and social worker, Hussein knew of the proven benefits of pre-school education for young children. He was also fully aware that no such facilities existed in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. At first, the facility suffered from a lack of basic equipment, but his 'one brick at a time' approach to expansion and development sustained the centre through the difficult and uncertain early years. Gradually the centre grew from one rented room with 22 kindergarten pupils, to a small building recognisable as a school, centring its delivery of standard primary school education on an ethos of non-violence and peace and democracy education. For several years the school grew as children progressed from grade to grade and more students arrived.</P> <H4>Further development</H4> <P>After 10 years, an ambitious building program was begun, with the aim of making the educational philosophy of peace and democracy more widely available. At the time, the budget for this program was far beyond the limited financial resources of the school.</P> <P>However, arising from the courage, grace and kindness of the school's many supporters, the new school building, in the Bethlehem suburb of Al-Khader, was completed and licensed as an educational establishment in 1993. The school continued to expand, reaching a stage where 250 students were being educated from kindergarten to grade 12. The second <I>intifada</I>, starting in 2000, and the increasing severity of the Israeli occupation, reduced the number of students currently attending the school to 130.</P> <P>The school is now providing classes for students from kindergarten to grade 7, totalling 200 students. This decline has largely been due to two factors connected with the <I>intifada</I> between 2000 and 2004: <BR>1) imposed road closures and other restrictions of movement carried out by occupying Israeli forces have directly prevented students from being able to reach the school, and, <BR>2) these road closures and restrictions of movement have prevented many parents from reaching their places of employment, thus reducing family incomes and making the payment of school fees impossible.</P> <P>However, we are working to expand and improve the school now that, God willing, normalisation is returning to our land. We plan to re-establish a full secondary curriculum in the coming years. The library and science laboratory are now complete and we are currently seeking funding to complete the school computer centre.</P> <P>However, we have a cliff-hanger: the threat of the building of the Israeli security wall across the edge of the school's property, causing the demolition of our cafeteria. Construction started some years ago, but stopped because of this uncertainty. This, and the school garden nearby, are key facilities.</P> <H4>Our unique approach</H4> <P><B>The uniqueness of the Hope Flowers approach to education </B>has been the major factor in its appeal to many people from many different backgrounds - including students, parents, teachers and staff, local and international volunteers, friends and financial contributors. This uniqueness is based on the school's commitment to the following goals:</P> <OL> <LI>providing a sound formal education to all students;</LI> <LI>providing a plethora of psychological and emotional support mechanisms for students, families and the community;</LI> <LI>providing opportunities for students to develop self-esteem, dignity, appreciation and pride in positive cultural values;</LI> <LI>providing ongoing support for parents and families of students;</LI> <LI>providing education in positive relationship-building, with the aim of allowing students to expand and utilise such skills beyond the school environment in the wider community and region;</LI> <LI>providing opportunities for students to appreciate values of peace, democracy and non-violence;</LI> <LI>providing opportunities for students to communicate directly with students from other religions, cultures and nations.</LI></OL> <H4>An independent school</H4> <P><B> The school is independently run</B>. We have no political or formal religious affiliation. Both Christian and Muslims attend, support and work at the school, and we are pursuing the goal of including Jewish students in the school population. Without independence, the school's uniqueness could not have been achieved. Some examples are demonstrated in some of the school's peace-building activities:</P> <OL> <LI>student and teacher exchange programs with Israeli schools, bringing students, parents and teachers into contact with their Jewish counterparts in Israel (these have now ceased, owing to a change in Israeli law preventing direct contact);</LI> <LI>Hebrew language lessons for all students at the school;</LI> <LI>development of sister-school relationships with the Democratic School of Hadera and Harishonim High School in Herzlia.</LI></OL> <P><B>Our independence has allowed us to develop a strong leadership role in the region. </B>The school's various outreach programs have offered adult educational activities in the form of workshops and seminars in community democratic development, peace education and other areas. In 1996, a series of workshops was started involving both Palestinian and Israeli participants, a first of its kind in the region.</P> <P>Many of the school's activities have been assisted by volunteers from a variety of countries, including Israel, USA, Australia and many European states. Our independence has been vital in allowing us to carry out such outreach projects, allowing participants from all religions and political persuasions to become involved.</P> </BODY>