Numbers of orphans in the Gaza Strip are increasing steadily to exceeded 22,000 children in the ages below 18 years. Almost one third of them turned orphans due to one of the three latest wars.<\/p>\n
Death of parents introduces significant changes into the child\u2019s life involving negative feelings towards the whole world including stress and depression. Most orphans are severely affected by this great loss and developing these kinds of feelings directly harms their self-esteem and stimulates other feelings of separation and deprivation. Additionally, many of them have witnessed bomb blasts and violence in their neighborhood and sometimes those that caused losing the father and or other family members.<\/p>\n
Orphans are subject to the worst types of suffering. Not only living in poverty, and insecurity but also the resulting feeling of weakness and fragility that makes them vulnerable to assault and violation of rights.<\/p>\n
Islamic Relief started its Orphans Sponsorship Programme in Gaza in 1998 in order to serve this group and mitigate the effects of orphanhood for them and for their families.<\/p>\n
Currently the Program sponsors more than 6500 orphans in the Gaza Strip and it strives so hard to provide all reasons for a decent and protected life. So, the programme provides regular cash assistance to each orphan and implements a range of activities to help them lead a -next to- normal life.<\/p>\n<\/div>