Dr. Marwan As-Sayeh, head of the WA Management Committee, opened the event on behalf of WA by welcoming the guests and urging them to support the program to the extent possible. Dr. Hazem Nussaibeh, head of the Forum’s Management Committee, underscored the strong relations between WA and the Forum and praised WA efforts in support of the Palestinian people. A third speech on behalf of WA Supporters Committee in Jordan was delivered by the Committee’s head Mr. Mashal Abu Shkheidem, who explained that the decision to support the preschool children sponsorship program was based on the belief that education is the cornerstone for ensuring a better future for the next generations.

During the event, Ms. Abeda As-Sayeh presented the talented Palestinian poet Tamim Al-Barghouthi, who gave a well received recital of several of his published and unpublished poems to the audience of 700 persons.

This was followed by the screening of a short documentary introducing the preschool Children Sponsorship Program and highlighting its rationale, objectives and achievements made so far. Next, the event moderator, artist Zuheir Nubani, called upon the audience to donate to the program by filling special forms. The event gathered around USD 200,000 –enough to sponsor 332 children at an average of USD 600 per child per year. The total number of children that WA has been able to support since the beginning of the campaign in July 2009 has now reached around 1020 children – about half of the target number of 2000 children for the first phase of the project.

The preschool Children Sponsorship Program aims at offering support to kindergartens in marginalized areas, including Gaza, Jerusalem, West Bank, the 1948 areas and refugee camps in Lebanon. The Program supports the provision of a healthy and educational environment for nurturing the development of children’s mental, physical and emotional abilities by enhancing the quality of education and the infrastructure of the kindergarten, and providing children with food, clothing and healthcare.