As events in Gaza continue to unfold, I am constantly re­minded of a trip I took there shortly after the 2014 war. During several visits to partner organizations with Halim Halabi, a UPA International Advisory Council Member, and Hanna Rabah, UPA’s Director of Programs, I was ap­palled by the blank looks on children’s faces. “You can’t imagine what these children just went through,” said Halim. That visit motivated us to explore and develop a mental health program for victims of ongoing trauma. This was the beginning of UPA’s Healing through Feel­ing Program.

It is unfortunate to see that four years later, this program is just as relevant and needed. In its early days, Healing through Feeling was started with the help, support, and guidance of several Palestinian-American, American and Canadian mental health experts. Today, the program is fully run by UPA’s local staff in Gaza and is serving thou­sands of teachers, parents, and children.

UPA’s Healing Through Feeling program is building a cushion of support around Gaza’s children by hiring lo­cal mental health practitioners (MHPs) and providing them with cutting-edge training and professional de­velopment. In turn, these practitioners forge partner­ships with non-governmental kindergartens and sum­mer camps in Gaza. They then lead psycho-education sessions for parents and teachers to increase awareness of trauma and its symptoms as well as to provide tools caregivers can use to alleviate trauma in their children.

Prolonged violence and closure has destroyed liveli­hoods and robbed generations of reaching their full po­tential. We are committed to exploring every possible avenue that alleviates the suffering of Palestinians and continues to build their capacity.

Since my 2014 visit to Gaza, I have made several trips back and am delighted to report that UPA’s Gaza staff continues to grow in numbers and in commitment. De­spite the dismal situation in Gaza, I return after every trip with renewed hope drawn from interacting with this team. They truly exemplify what it means to be resilient and optimistic, and I feel blessed to have them in my life.

-Saleem Zaru