Project Background

We, as future doctors, have a crucial role not only in taking medical care of people but also to spread the values of justice, peace and human rights.

The Palestinian refugees are one of the largest displaced populations in the world today, approximately one in three refugees world wide is Palestinian, constituting about 5 million people, most of whom live in the Middle East countries (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria), West Bank and Gaza.

Therefore they constitute a global problem in the Middle East. We, as medical students and future physicians, have the responsibility to do our best towards improving their conditions, especially in terms of health, and towards better understanding of their problems and needs.

There are about 60 Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East. They constitute the "home" of about 33% of the refugees.

In most cases they are deprived of the right to evolve democratically and culturally, and isolated through repeated closures of Palestinian areas, and they are left with little exposure to outside ideas, customs and cultures. This increases the chances of becoming involved in dangerous activities and increasing their frustration, making them more susceptible to join extremist groups.

Taking in mind the socioeconomic profile of refugees we find that they face higher rates of unemployment and poverty. Housing conditions in many areas do not meet international standards.

Literacy rates and educational attainment are generally high, but there is a weak correlation between higher education and economic advancement. They appear to have higher rates of mental and chronic diseases. These indicators are more prominent in the refugee camps.

The Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem

Aida Refugee Camp (surface area of the camp and surrounding is about 66 dunums= 66,000 m2) accommodates about 4,000 people (around 650 families) who took refuge to it in 1948 and later in 1967 from 35 different villages in Palestine as the result of the two Arab-Israeli wars. This camp, like the other 21 camps in west bank and the 8 camps in Gaza strip, as well as the other camps (12 in Lebanon, 10 in Syria, 10 in Jordan, and others), was established with tents as an emergency and temporary camp, but have been transformed to a permanent stage of refuge.

Since the problem of these refugees was not resolved, United Nations began, in 1951, the construction of small houses made of one or two rooms, and a small kitchen (rooms of 9-12 m2, and ~2 to 2,5 meters high). However after years and years of waiting, the refugees could not live in these temporary shelters created by the UN. Most of the shelters started to fall down. People, mostly poor and not able to buy a piece of land outside the camp, started reconstruction inside the camp of new houses. They became refugees on their own land, in their own country. Since the space is very limited in the camp, and no possibilities of horizontal expansion, the construction expanded vertically. That's why the camp lacks children corners and playgrounds where children could eventually play. After 53 years of living in this refugee camp, as well as for other refugees in other camps, people know that this is a station in their life; they are still dreaming and asking for the application of the UN resolutions concerning the right of return to their own lands occupied and taken by Israeli state in 1948 and 1967. Till now, the community international plays the blind role concerning the Palestinian refugees.

Around 40% of its population is children under the age of 18, with equal distribution between males and females. The camp has two schools run by UNRWA, one for boys and another for girls (till the end of preparatory classes- age 15). There is also a youth center and a kindergarten run by the local community. The camp is located at the northern border of Bethlehem. Its main entrance is closed by cubes of cement, placed by the Israeli Army at Rachel's Tomb (originally a mosque - Mosque of Bilal Ibn Rabah - and converted into a synagogue in 1967), which composes a military observation point next to the camp. The Gilo settlement, built mostly on the lands of the Palestinian town of Beit Jala, which is bordering the camp from the north and north west as well as the Rachel's tomb observation point at the eastern side, both constitute a serious threat to the people of the camp through frequent harassment, shooting and shelling.

During these hard times, and in all cases, children were the most to suffer. Many children got traumatized, several of them were reported to wet their beds, and the academic achievement of many others retreated, their childhood has become a nightmare. This, in fact, is an added serious complication to the poor condition of the social and cultural infrastructure in the camp due to lack of safe and healthy playgrounds, children's corners, green areas and other physical settings and programs where creative activities could be organized for children.

There is no health center located at Aida camp. The people used to get health services by UNRWA center outside the camp. But during the last Intifada the need for a center inside the camp emerged as the people had no possibility to reach the outside center. This was especially the case in the time of Israeli invasions, which made the people to turn Al-Rowwad Cultural Center into a site for medical help, which was entirely provided by nurses.