Al Aqaba Kindergarten: Haj Sami's Dreams Made Real
When Rebuilding Alliance helped Mayor Haj Sami build the Al Haq Kindergaten, nobody realized that it would protect Al Aqaba village from demolition before the Israeli High Court in 2008. This kindergarten is the beating heart of the village, serving 140 students.
“My name is Sahira, and I'm a mother of three children. All my children were students at the Al Haq Kindergarten in Al Aqaba Village. Two have already graduated. I'm happy that the kindergarten is in the village and I don't have to send my children far from home. I attribute my children's excellent performance in school today to their early years in kindergarten.
It is important to keep this kindergarten standing even though many times it has been under the threat of demolition. It is the center of our lives and our children's lives. Help keep this kindergarten open!”
-Sahira, a concerned mother from Al Aqaba Village, the West Bank
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Background
Al Aqaba Village
Al Aqaba is a small village in the Northern Jordan Valley that is building and planning for a better future. The village is located in Area C, the 62% of the West Bank under full Israeli control. Its location in Area C means that the villagers are unable to obtain building permits to build on their own land, and 97% of the village is under demolition order. In spite of this threat, the village continues to send a message of peace to its neighbors and friends around the world.
Mayor Haj Sami (left) and a kindergarten class
For decades, Al Aqaba was used as a military training zone, and twelve villagers were killed and dozens wounded during live-fire training exercises. In 2003, the village won a landmark victory when the Israeli High Court ruled that the army camp at the entrance of the village had to relocate. By that time, 70% of the village’s original 1000 residents had left, seeking safety and better living conditions. With hopes that these former residents could return, the Village Council appealed to international organizations to help them plan for their future. Among the projects they implemented were a medical clinic and a new three-story building that housed a sewing cooperative and a kindergarten for the children of Al Aqaba and families who had relocated to nearby villages.
Al Haq Kindergarten
Yuhki Ohnogi, a visiting teacher from Japan
Rebuilding Alliance donors helped fund construction of the village’s kindergarten, Al Haq (truth). We also help fund scholarships for children who couldn’t afford school fees. Al Haq kindergarten has been standing for 16 years and has played an important role in keeping the village of Al Aqaba safe. Because of it, in 2008, Israel's High Court ruled 'for the time being, the center of the village will remain standing'.
Guest teachers from the U.S., Estonia, Japan, and China have had the honor of teaching Al Haq students. Teachers not only teach students who live in Al Aqaba but also students who come from nearby towns by school bus.
Surviving COVID-19
Now, COVID-19 has left many parents jobless and unable to pay tuition. The school can’t afford to pay staff. It has also left the village isolated. The usual visitors who help with legal and international advocacy have stopped. The survival of this kindergarten is crucial for both students and Al Aqaba village to have a bright future.
To donate to this project and read our past project reports, visit our GlobalGiving page here.