Skype links with Abu-Dis

Saoirse, Lucy, Hajar, Eloise, Sorcha and Ryan meet at the CADFA office for the Skype call to Abu-Dis

Skype call

Yesterday, the youth links team met to catch up with the young people from Abu-Dis via a Skype call. It was lovely to speak to some of the young people we had met earlier in the year and find out what everybody had been up to since the visit in June. We found the discussion very shocking, they told us that due to the Military rule on Palestinian streets, it isn't safe for young people to stay out with their friends. Their parents are often worried about them and won't risk letting their children out after school times. Unfortunately, due to this a lot of the people who took part in the exchange visit in June weren't able to make it to the CADFA friendship house for the Skype call. 

Saleh told us about his experience at a refugee camp where he spends some of his weekends to visit his family. Israeli soldiers often invade the camp on weekends with explosives and the camp is crowded with over 20,000 people living in it. 

Young people in Palestine are not able to peacefully protest against the occupation. All four of the boys we spoke to yesterday had been shot with rubber bullets (which may not sound dangerous but in some cases can kill people.) Fortunately the boys were lucky and were not severely hurt by the rubber bullets. For these young boys, just getting to and from school is a struggle. 

UN Children’s day – Protect Palestinian children

Today is UN Children’s day and the CADFA youth links team have recognised it by organising a demonstration/protest. The day acknowledges universal children’s Human Rights, the right to education and the right to family life. 

Since 1st October 2015, 17 children have been killed in Palestine and many injured by the Israeli army. 2,500 have to go through at least one checkpoint a day on their journey to school. Palestinian children’s education is often disrupted by tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers and 133 children have been arrested since 1st October. CADFA youth links team are calling out for protection of the Palestinian children and the rights they are entitled to. 

The youth links team work together to build friendship links between British and Palestinian young people as well as promoting Human Rights and International Law in Palestine. CADFA hold exchange visits where Palestinian children are given the opportunity to share their own experiences and stories. The group’s aim is to inform and educate people about the abuse of Human Rights in Palestine. The team’s blog is youthcadfa.blogspot.co.uk or you can contact CADFA on Facebook or twitter CADFA (Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association)

#CADFA #YouthlinkswithPalestine on the streets

CADFA Youth Links Demonstrations/Protests

Beth handing out leaflets on child imprisonment and Ryan with a petition to the Foreign secretary collecting signatures on Church Street, Stoke Newington

Ryan again collecting signatures for the petition in Kentish Town. Sorcha and Bea holding up a banner "End the violence. Stop the killings. Human rights for Palestinians."

The CADFA youth links team have recently taken part in a number of protests/ stalls in the streets, protesting against the killings, woundings and arrests of young people in the West Bank and the arrests of hundreds of them including the brother of one of our friends. We invite other young people to join us!

13 year old Ali was arrested by Israeli soldiers yesterday

Two boys from Abu Dis Boys' School were arrested yesterday by Israeli soldiers - See more of the story here   CADFA REPORT 16th September

We are writing to our MP about this and asking young people to join with us to demand their release.

Youth links prepare to visit Palestine...

Yesterday the CADFA office was completely full of people as people in the youth links group brought along parents and friends and we all talked about the planned visit to Palestine - in fact, how to do it if Erasmus + are not able to fund it.  After lots of discussion, we decided to run the visit at the end of the year after the exams, to allow time to fundraise.

Today people came back to talk more about it and to make plans for the fundraising - A challenge we will meet!! 

Below...why we want to visit Palestine. And below that, what we are going to do about it...

Why do we want to visit Palestine?

By CADFA Youth Links

To learn about Palestinian culture

To understand Palestinian life

To learn more about Palestinian restriictions and their treatment

To actually see the things we’ve learned about for example checkpoing and the Wall

To see different things and places

To visit Jerusalem

To see the Dead Sea

To see the people we met again

To learn more Arabic and teach some English

To eat Palestinian food

To come home and be able to tell our own stories and experiences

And what we are going to do about it...

• A sponsored walk on CADFA's birthday 4th October.
• A Palestine festival on UN Children's Day 20th November.
• A jumble sale (date to be decided)
• Making fundraising pages
• Cake sales at five different schools

Goodbye event and finishing off

Hey everyone,

tomorrow we will have a event, which will include presentations from the evs volunteers, foot and other things. It mainly an opportunity to say good bye because we, the EVS volunteers are leaving CADFA soon.

For me this are the last working days! One of the things I enjoyed the most was working with the youth links, because I met so man nice, smart end engaged young people. I hope you will all continue working with CADFA and experience lots of nice things next year. Hopefully I can read lots of things on this blog from Germany. 

Bye Bye :)

Dunja

Dar Assadaqa summer camp - the first week.

تتواصل فعاليات مخيمنا الصيفي للأسبوع الثاني  بمشاركة متطوعينا من بريطانيا بالتعاون مع متطوعينا المحليين خلال الأسبوع الأول زار مخيمنا جامعة القدس ومدينة بيت لحم  ومخيم عايدة للاجئين

هذا الأسبوع سيكون هناك زيارة لمركز المرفأ والدفاع المدني بالإضافة الى رحلة مدينة أريحا أو بلدة بير زيت

مجموعة من الصور لرحلة يوم الخميس الماضي الى مخيم عايدة ومدينة بيت لح