Playgrounds
Ubadiyeh Playground
Why Playgrounds Why Al-Bayyara The Project Project Objectives Part of a wider Community Project Donors Project Implementation Average Cost of a Playground Completed Work Work in Progress How to Get Involved As a Donor Contact Us
First Al-Bayyara Playground Ein Munjid, Ramallah July 2012
In Palestine, there is a dramatic lack of safe outdoor playing areas for children to spend their free time and practice outdoor activities. Most Palestinian children spend their spare time playing in the streets due to the unavailability of any alternative safe outdoor playing areas, leading to a large number of children injured or even killed by traffic accidents each year. Al-Bayyara is the Arabic word for an orange orchard. For Palestinians, the orchard is more than just an owned property; it is the family s livelihood and therefore represents not only material gain but also their spiritual wholeness and emotional stability.
Al-Bayyara Playgrounds project aims to design and construct at least hundreds of public playgrounds, around 1000 m2 each, in different populated neighborhoods in Palestine, where there is a lack of such facilities. The playgrounds will serve as outdoor recreational facilities for all the children and their parents residing in these neighborhoods.
Provide the children with safe outdoor playing areas for entertainment and recreation. Help reduce the number of children who are injured and killed every year in traffic accidents by offering them alternatives to playing in the streets. Increase the green areas, adding beauty to the Palestinian community. Foster community bonding between families living in the same neighborhoods by meeting in these playgrounds. Create job opportunities for those who contribute in the design, construction and maintenance of these playgrounds. Encouraging Palestinian made goods: when sourcing material for the construction of the playgrounds, priority is given to locally made products and local suppliers. Remind the Palestinians about the historical importance of the oranges trees in Palestine through the name of the project, Al-Bayyara. Orange trees will be planted in each playground for this same purpose. Help improve the health conditions of the Palestinian community by encouraging both the children and their parents to spend time outdoors especially that Vitamin D deficiency is widely spread among our community due to the lack of exposure to the sun. Provide the Palestinians in the Diaspora with the opportunity to contribute in building and developing their home communities.
These playgrounds will later serve as community centres where we will organize regular community events such as: Story telling Small concerts Educational games Arts & crafts Awareness workshops on issues such as: Breast cancer for mother Post war trauma therapy for children Other issues relevant to the Palestinian family Ras Karkar, Ramallah
Beit Our, Ramallah
Ebedye, Bethlehem
Turmosaya Playground
Abu Falah, Ramallah
As an initiator and founder of the project, Bank of Palestine committed USD 150,000 each year for three years, in addition to the marketing campaign. Main co funders of the Al Bayyara Project :- Welfare Association, ANERA, Muna & Basem Hishmeh and George & Rhonda Salem List of Al Bayyara donors over the years ( Palestinian Diaspora & foreign ):- Al Hani Construction & Training Co. American Federation of Ramallah Palestine Arabia Industrial Valves Manufacturer Azmi Abdullatif Abdulhadi & Sons Holding Co. Belen 2000 Birzeit Society Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) Dina Shawa Eddie Farah Emad Kamal Employees of Bank of Palestine Farouk Shami - CHI Gulf Spic General Trading & Contracting Company W.L.L (Gs) Haifa Shakhashir Hashem Hashem Huda Kitmitto Huda Shawa Ibrahim Wadie Takla Khatib & Alami Consolidated Engineering Co. Maha Abu Ghazaleh Memorial for Isam Labib Hishmeh Memorial for Mahfuz and Maria Ajluni MID Contracting Company LLC PADICO Holding Projacs Construction & Management Training / Development Ramallah Chicago Club Ramallah Houston Club Ramallah Jacksonville Club Ramallah Metro Club Ribhi and Norma Zaid Riyadh Pharma Said Abdulhadi San Francisco Palestinian Community Suheil Sabbagh Turmusayya Charitable Society of NY/NJ UNEC L.L.C United Holy Land Fund NY/NJ Welfare Association for Youth Municipalities of the land on which the playgrounds are constructed also commit to maintaining the playgrounds.
The Steering Committee, which is made up of the main donors has assigned two professional and well known non profit organizations Muna & Basem Hishmeh and the Welfare Association to implement the project under its supervision, direction, and maintenance of the playgrounds. Since the land is donated by a municipality, each playground costs around USD 55,000.
Qabatya Al Bireh 1/ As- sufara Al Jadwal Ramallah Jericho- Al Isteraha Bethlehem
Ein Munjid Ramallah Ebedye Bethlehem Ras Karkar Ramallah and Al- Bireh Governorate Jenin Jabalia- Gaza Abu Falah Ramallah and Al- Bireh Governorate Al Masyoun Ramallah Sarreyet Ramallah Al Saftawi- Gaza Deir Al-Balah - Gaza Turmusaya Al- Bireh 2 Birzeit Tulkarem Qataneh - Jerusalem Governorate Nablus Beit Our Ramallah and Al- Bireh Governorate Beitjala Al Tireh - Ramallah Tel Al- Hawa Al- Ezaraiya Assaf - Khan Younis Deir Dibwan
For donations of USD 100,000 per year, you are entitled to join the Steering Committee. Each USD 10,000 entitles you to include your name on a playground plaque. For more information, please email: csr@bop.ps www.bankofpalestine.com