“I Love You Silwan 14” Summer Camp
Within the scope of the Children and Youth Program, MCC holds an annual summer camp titled "Bahebek Ya Silwan" meaning “I Love You Silwan”. As the first summer camp was held in conjunction with MCC's early initiatives in 2005 when a group of Wadi Hilweh neighborhood residents organized a summer camp that targets children of the less fortunate families in the town and who were not able to afford the expenses of sending their children to summer camps. Since then, a free-of-charge summer camp is being held annually targeting children from all over Silwan and Jerusalem's neighborhoods.
This year, the camp was held for the fourteenth consecutive time under the title (I LOVE YOU SILWAN 14) after a one-year gap only in the summer of (2020) as closures were imposed because of the coronavirus. The children were even more excited to join (Bahebek Ya Silwan) summer activities again. The camp was held in two locations in Silwan (Wadi Hilweh & Baten Al-Hawa) it was divided into 4 weeks starting from 04th of July 2021 until 10th of August 2021. As the spaces are not enough for all ages and to provide them with the best quality; each week is specified for an age group to receive the largest number of Participants. The camp was attended by (303) children at Wadi Hilweh Branch, and 102 children at Baten Al-Hawa Branch.
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“Bahebak Ya Silwan camp creates a rare situation and vividness inside the town of Silwan, not only for Madaa's staff, volunteers, and participants. But also for the public in Silwan; including for women in the area, markets, and the bus drivers. It occupies the neighbors with the colors of the uniform, the logo Center (fig leaf) and the slogan I love you Silwan. It is the time when we see Silwan live again, Silwan especially, and Jerusalem in general” Jawad Siyam- MCC director
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The camp aims to offer an accessible, free of charge and safe space for children during the summer vacation to enjoy and spend their time healthily and positively while offering prevention and protection for children to enjoy their rights.
The camp at Wadi Hilweh
Many entertainment and educational activities were conducted during the summer camp that help children with developing their knowledge and identities in a fun atmosphere, the most highlighted is the Palestinian heritage days, clawing and celebrations open days, climbing activities and field trips.
The First Camp
Group age (5-7) years old. Number of participants: 66 children (36 F) (30 M)
The little one's group was named (Silwan) after our beloved town to help keeping it in their minds and their connectedness to it. The camp of the youngest age started by Introducing the children and working on identity and self-confidence through group activities, identity and art cards. (Aim: encouraging children to build their self-identity and confidence).
Tele-matches activities followed on the next day; such as water cups challenge, passing the ball, building pyramid of plastic cups, blowing the balloon through integrating it with an art activity using a face mask.
Palestinian Traditional Day; the third day was full of cultural activities by wearing the Palestinian traditional clothes (Thoub and Kufiyah); the children enjoyed the day with activities expressing their Palestinian identity; they spent the day singing and dancing to folklore and popular songs, enjoyed a traditional Palestinian breakfast meal, made accessories of the Palestinian flag color and painted a paper mural of the Palestinian flag and olive tree.
The Little Chef; on the fourth day the children watched a movie titled "The Little Chef" to encourage them to help their parents with food preparations. They made with their little hands shapes of fruits using clay to encourage children to eat healthy. They also decorated cupcakes and enjoyed eating them by the end of the day.
The camp was finally concluded with an Open Day; the day was full of entertainment with the clowning group (Zuzu and the family); the children enjoyed the interactive show by singing and dancing with the clowns as well as drawing on their faces and distributing balloons and gifts to them. And the camp was concluded on a swimming trip to the Water Park (the water land) in Jericho.
The Second Camp
Group age (8-11) Number of participants: 76 children (44 F) (32
Similar to the program of the first camp, the second camp also included activities that promote children's identity, awareness and heritage. They were divided into groups and each group was given the name of a neighborhood in Silwan that is threatened with forced displacement. They also enjoyed a Palestinian traditional day full of arts, singing, cultural competitions and folk stories.
A health awareness day was also held when children learned how to prepare healthy snacks and the importance of eating healthy through different activities. They also participated in an artistic activity preparing a photo frame of spaghetti for their personal photos and learned about human body parts and their names in English and Arabic through drawing a human body. MCC also hosted a doctor who taught children about first aid and how to behave during accidents and emergencies. The last day of the camp coincided with the approach of Al-Adha eid that was celebrated by making a sheep and was also concluded with an open day for the children by hosting (Zuzu and the family). And the camp was concluded on a swimming trip to the Water Park (the water land) in Jericho.
The Third Camp
Group age (13-11) years old. Number of participants: 83 children (38 F) (45 M)
On the third camp, children were also divided into groups named after the neighborhoods of Silwan. MCC hosted an entertainment music performance titled (DI MI Sol); the show was about Jerusalem, its heritage, schools and education in Jerusalem in order to encourage children for education. Musical instruments were used during the show that children were also able to use and try and sing along.
The camp also included a trip for the young children to (Kherbet Al-Sa'dieyh) displaced village in Jerusalem; the day was full of interactive activities passing to children life and social skills such as memory and concentration, team work and cooperation.
The fifth day of this camp was the highlight of the camp for the children as they were able to try something new through joining a guided climbing and hiking activity in the natural mountains of (Ein Yabroud village) in Ramallah. The trip considered all safety measures; the children were equipped with climbing equipment and prepared through warm up. The children mentioned to us they found the rappelling most exciting and taking photos. The children also enjoyed the field trip to (Kherbet Al-Sadieh) displaced village. And the camp was concluded on a swimming trip to the Water Park (the water land) in Jericho.
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“I enjoyed the camp very much; mostly the hiking trip it was the first time I experience hiking and climbing. I also enjoyed visiting the Wadi Hilweh Park and the activities there, I love this place" (Ghina Jiweeles)
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Feedback: “My sons participated in a summer camp previous to this one at MCC, they told me that they liked the current camp with MCC better as it included more activities and they felt more drawn to it. I would like to thank MCC and its staff for the joy that they brought into the hearts of our children" (Nisreen Joulani- mother of two children). "The experience of my youngest who attended the second week of the camp encouraged my older son to join the camp that is appropriate to his age category. My other children also join after their younger siblings join" (Sabrin Baidoun). “I participated in the second camp; we enjoyed many activities, what I enjoyed most is the tele matches and games" (Hiyam Qaraein) “The leaders of the camp were very good to us; I spent my time in a useful way and learned a lot during the summer camp" (Darien Ramadan)
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The Fourth Camp (Youth Group)
Group age (14-17) years old. Number of participants: 78 children (37 F) (41M)
MCC also specifies a camp for the teenage youths as we believe in their effective role in society and so we aim to develop their capacities and skills and to invest in their energies.
In addition to the regular educational, artistic and cultural activities in the camp for all age groups, this camp also included a legal awareness rising session for the youth on children's rights and specifically on how to behave in case of arrest and detainment. The session was interactive as the children were able to ask the lawyer questions.
The participants also enjoyed an art therapy session by using drawings for unwinding and discussing the drawings. Same as the third camp group, the children also enjoyed two field trips; hiking trip to (Ein Yabroud) and cultural recreational trip to (Kherbet Al-Sadieh) displaced village where they enjoy group activities and cooking together in the open air.
- Youth Climbing Tour https://bit.ly/38GoeZV
- Trip to Kherbet Al-Sadieh village https://bit.ly/3zNYS8u
- Legal Awareness Session https://bit.ly/3tiJeiI
Summer Camp at Batn Al-Hawa
In addition to the camp in Wadi Hilweh, a summer camp was held in Batn al-Hawa for a week, starting from (11/7/2021) to (17/7/2021), with the participation of (102) children (38 F). ) (64 AD). The camp included many educational and recreational activities and four guided field trips. The camp was designed to focus on giving the children of Batn al-Hawa a safe space to relax and reduce stress after what they have been through over the past months (Israeli escalation(, so the main idea was to conduct activities outside the neighborhood to get the mind’s off the sources of stress in the area.
-On 12/07/2021: A field trip to a park near the town of Silwan, (77) children (47 F) (30 M) participated in the field trip. Several group outdoor activities were held for the children by MCC's coordinators at the site following a short talk about the area and their town Silwan.
-On 13/07/2021: trip to Water land for children aged (11- 16) years old; (69) children (39 M) (30 f) participated in this recreational trip
-On 15/07/2021: A field trip to a displaced village in Jerusalem (Sataf), (48) children aged (11- 17) years old (26 M) (22 F) participated. The children were introduced to the history of the village and its landmarks through a walk in the village.
- On 17/07/2021: a trip to the water Battir village near Bethlehem, (102) children (38 F) (64 M).
In addition to that recreational activities were conducted during the camp days such arts, sports, telematics and puppet theater show clowning and open days.
Our summer camp would not be successes without the support of our sincere partners, and the dedication of 61 volunteers who came from all over Palestine to support us and to show the solidarity and love for our children.
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