Child Development Programme

The Foundation currently supports the work of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) with the Al Asdeqaa' Association in Rafah, Gaza. The project, 'Supporting the Rights and Inclusion of Children and Adults with Disabilities in Rafah' will benefit 600 children and improve the quality of life of people with physical disabilities, increasing their independence and helping to integrate them into society.

On a recent visit to Gaza, MAP staff met 17-year-old Ayesha* (left), who has been attending Al Asdeqaa' for several years. Due to cardiovascular problems she has had since childhood, Ayesha has been unable to walk or live an independent life, despite being bright, ambitious and achieving high grades in college. On the day of MAP's visit she gave a presentation on disability rights and tried out a new electric wheelchair, which will greatly increase her independence. We hope that this in turn will enable her to realise her ambition to be a counsellor.

In September 2010, the Foundation also began supporting the Women's Humanitarian Organisation Educational and Psychosocial Support project for children with learning disabilities. Sixty Palestinian students from Bourj El Barajneh refugee camp will benefit from the sessions, which aim to improve academic performance, reduce behavioural problems and cut the risk of a child dropping out of school.  An additional 30 children will receive general educational support.

* Name changed

Arab Culture News

BALTIC's Middle Eastern Artists in Residence programme began in October 2008.  Since then three residencies have been completed; the most recent in March/April 2010 with Egyptian artist Mahmoud Khaled, whose work is shown below.

The final residency will take place in November/December 2010.  The plan is for two former Sa ïd Foundation scholars - Samar Maakaron (MA Cross-Sectoral and Community Arts, Goldsmiths 2006) and Fadi Baki (MA Creative Practice for Narrative Environments, Goldsmiths 2006), both from Lebanon -  to work with schoolchildren in Lebanon and Gateshead producing material for a short animated film.  A final exhibition will then be held at the BALTIC.

The V&A reported over 1750 participants in their Arab World Family Learning Programme over the three months from April to July.  More than 2000 were expected at the Arabian Nights Free Art Fun Festival that took place on 8th August. Ita Gallagher, the Foundation's FEP Officer, attended and was much impressed by the event.

Scholars 2010/11

The Foundation is supporting 25 postgraduate scholars this academic year:

Maya Abdul Latif (Lebanon) - MA Landscape Urbanism, Architectural Association; Yaser Abuhmaid (Jordan) - MA CT/Education, Leeds; Anwar Alameddin (Syria) - MSc Maths, King's College, London; Maha Al Burai (Palestine) - MSc Violence, Conflict and Development, SOAS; Mohammed Al Hourani (Syria) - MSc Computer Science and Applications, Warwick; Alia Al Kadi (Jordan) - MPhil International Relations, Cambridge; Mohammed Samer Al Sati (Syria) - MA English Language Teaching, Warwick; Kinda Alsheikhahmed (Syria) - MSc Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Manal Awad (Palestine) - MA Theatre Directing, RADA; Yamen Badr (Syria) - MArch, Nottingham; Maysa Falah (Jordan) - MSc Pharmacology, Oxford; Lana Ghuneim (Jordan) - MPhil Criminology, Cambridge; Abdullah Halawa (Syria) - MA Cultural Heritage Studies, UCL; Nancy Hamad (Lebanon) - MA Post-War Reconstruction and Development, York; Iman Hesso (Palestine/Lebanon) - MSc Healthcare Policy, Birmingham; Lina Hussein (Jordan) - MSc Marketing and Strategy, Warwick; Dima Jarrar (Jordan) - MA ICT and Education, Leeds; Maamoun Karak (Syria) - MA English Language Teaching, Nottingham; Firas Khatib (Palestine/Israel) - MA Global Media and Post-National Communication, SOAS; Jamal Numan (Palestine) - MSc Geographic Information Systems, Leeds; Joanne Rechdan (Lebanon) - MPhil Social and Developmental Psychology, Cambridge; Hany Sbeih (Palestine) - MSc Pharmacology, King's College, London; Sara Sibai (Lebanon) - MSc Education, Oxford; Ahmed Tannira (Palestine) - MA Development Studies/Education, Leeds; Wathek Zair (Syria) - MSc Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Leicester.

The Foundation thanks the British Lebanese Association and the Arab British Chamber Charitable Foundation for their valuable contributions towards the costs of five of this year's scholars.