The PHRC established the Children’s Village project in Gaza as a space where displaced children could reclaim moments of normalcy and find safe outlets for emotional expression through play, art, music, and circus activities.
At the core of these interventions is a commitment to providing relief from the relentless cycles of trauma caused by genocide, war, and forced displacement. As the PHRC is a grassroots organisation founded and led by Palestinians born and raised in Gaza, it has direct insight into how children and childhood have long been shaped by life under occupation.
Through games, creative activities, and play, children were given opportunities to process difficult experiences in a safe and non-threatening environment, rebuild a sense of security, and begin their journey toward emotional healing.
Background
Across five generations since the Nakba, children have grown amid the constant presence of drones, gunfire, and explosions. This has replaced childhood’s innocence with trauma, lightness with fear, and joy with uncertainty. This situation has only worsened since October 2023. By December 2023, most Palestinians had been displaced toward the south, particularly Rafah, where hundreds of thousands gathered in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, suspended between survival and the absence of safety or stability.
The Children’s Village responds to the urgency to create a long-term safe space for children and young people. Daily activities grounded in psychosocial recovery and creative learning provide opportunities for children to express themselves, process difficult experiences, and release fear, grief, and emotional distress in a safe and supportive environment.
At the heart of this work lies a simple truth: the path to the future depends on nurturing and protecting the next generation, ensuring they are able to grow in safety, strength, and steadfastness.
Intergenerational Trauma & Our Approach
The PHRC Children’s Village outside the IDPs camp in Rafah. For five months, the PHRC initiated activities with over 250 children everyday.
Creative arts, games, and play offer children safe and accessible ways to express their emotions, fears, and anxieties. In contexts of war and displacement, these activities can restore a sense of routine and control, support emotional healing, and strengthen resilience and coping mechanisms. They also foster social interaction, empathy, and a sense of belonging that is essential for children's well-being.
Through a flexible, community-based outreach model, the PHRC organised daily activities including visual arts, storytelling, therapeutic play, music, theatre, and movement-based games, alongside dedicated spaces for reading, drawing, and social-emotional learning.
Adaptive Geography & Shifting Waves
Since December 2023, the Children’s Village has moved in response to repeated waves of displacement and the evolving needs of children and their families. As Rafah became overcrowded in early 2024, it relocated to Tal as-Sultan. Following the invasion of Rafah in May 2024, PHRC teams displaced across Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, and Nuseirat, where they continued activities in accessible locations for displaced children.
To maintain support under highly volatile conditions, PHRC adapted its programming across displacement shelters, emergency shelters, and scattered community sites in areas including Al-Saftawi, Tel al-Hawa, Al-Shati Camp, Al-Nasr, and near Al-Quds Open University. The team also conducted home visits in shelters to ensure continuity of psychosocial support and follow-up care.
Since October 2025, PHRC has re-established a central Children’s Village on the Deir al-Balah shoreline, where activities now focus on rebuilding children’s relationship with the sea as a space for safety, play, and emotional healing, gradually transforming it from a site of fear into one of calm and expression.
Palestinian-Led & Grounded Team
All team members working at the Children’s Village are Palestinians who were born and raised in Gaza. Because they share similar life experiences with the children, this helps build trust and makes it easier for the PHRC team to respond to the children’s needs. In an economy that has been severely weakened, the project has also financially supported a total of 20 people over the years.
“My story with drawing began at a very young age. Over time, I became well-known for my artwork at school. Now, at sixteen years old, the war continues. At first, I felt deeply discouraged, especially after being displaced and leaving behind most of my art supplies and paintings. I refused to let it stop me, I got encouraged by the Children’s Village. I am happy with my notebook and began drawing with pencils.”
Children’s Village in Gaza
Activities
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Playing together builds community and helps children reclaim a sense of personal value and self worth.
Activities like drawing or face painting allow children to explore their own creativity and have a sense of connectedness and belonging.
Being able to laugh and experience fun and enjoyment can restore a sense of identity and help children to make meaning of what has happened to them.
In the music and storytelling corners we try to help children deal with emotional pain and reclaim a sense of autonomy over their lives.
