Project Proposal
Inner Wounds Heal: Kids, Animals, and Resilience
Organization Mission: The Palestinian Animal League’s (PAL) mission is to inspire
compassion and transform perceptions, envisioning a society where animal protection is
intrinsic, and fostering humane solutions. Rooted in animal compassion and community
collaboration, we partner with government, education, and grassroots efforts. Leveraging
lobbying, advocacy, and a solid foundation, we drive strategies. Our new plan emphasises
addressing stray dogs; plight and fostering an adoption culture. Additionally, we priorities
farmed animals and reducing consumption. We undertake investigations, events, publications,
and religious teachings to promote veganism. Central to our approach is empowering youth;
we design youth-centric programs and advocate for animal welfare integration in education at
all levels. As we always thrive to follow our mission statement “Helping animals by
empowering people.”
Introduction: In the midst of the ongoing war in Gaza, where images and videos circulating
on social media show graphic violence and deadly missile attacks from the Israeli military,
Palestinian children, particularly those in the West Bank, are being inundated with distressing
images and news reports that are profoundly affecting their mental and emotional well-being.
This relentless exposure to the harsh realities of war has left a lasting mark on their
psychological health, compelling us to take immediate action.
At PAL, our primary concern is the hidden emotional wounds carried by these young minds.
We are dedicated to helping these kids recognize and cope with the traumas they’ve
experienced. The psychological impact on these children calls for immediate and
comprehensive attention. To address this urgent need, we have embarked on a project that
leverages the proven therapeutic effects of animals, including dogs and cats, in alleviating
anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the lasting effects of unprocessed trauma.
Our project seeks to address this urgent issue, mitigating the trauma experienced by thes
children and providing them with a safe space to express their emotions and learn to address
them.
We understand the enduring effects of these internal wounds, particularly when they go
unrecognized and unaddressed. A 2022 study published in Environmental Research and
Public Health1 highlights the severe consequences of exposure to violent scenes of armed
conflict, including anxiety, sadness, isolation, distress, and elevated perceptions of personal
risk.
By providing these children with the support they need, we hope to not only alleviate their
immediate distress but also plant the seeds of resilience and empowerment. To achieve this,
we are conducting regular sessions with the children, bringing in animals such as dogs and
cats, along with a compassionate team of individuals from the Palestinian Animal League and
a therapist. These sessions create a safe space for the children to express their feelings,
offering them the green light to talk about their problems and fears in a healthy manner.
Furthermore, in a region where many Palestinians in the West Bank often feel powerless,
children, in particular, grapple with the profound sense of injustice when they witness images
of kids in Gaza. For this reason, our project aims to instil a sense of self-worth and
empowerment in these young minds, starting with simple acts of caring for dogs, cats, and
other animals. This, in turn, contributes to their improved mental health and cultivates a
belief that they too can make a positive impact in their lives and the world around them.
Project Objectives:
- Provide Emotional Support: Offer a safe space for children to address their
emotional wounds. - Utilizes Animal-Assisted Therapy: Use animal interactions to reduce anxiety and
stress in children. - Facilitate Healing Conversations: Enable children to express their feelings in guided
sessions. - Promote Resilience: Empower children with coping skills for emotional recovery.
- Raise Awareness: Increase community awareness of children’s mental health needs in
war.
- Foster Solidarity: Encourage a sense of unity and mutual support among children
and their community.
Implementation Plan:
- Needs Assessment (Week 1, effective immediately):
● Identify communities with immediate needs.
● Collaborate with local organizations for outreach.
● Get two volunteers for each session. - Animal-Assisted Activities Sessions (Over Six Months):
● Launch weekly sessions with children, two each week, twelve in total.
● Promote bonding between children and animals.
● Encourage play, bonding, and open conversations.
● Facilitate activities such as games, animal training, and emotional expression.
● Tailor each group’s plan to account for the timing of sessions during or after
the war and the children’s mental state with the help of the therapist.
● Print - Participant Re-Enrollment (Throughout):
● Allow interested children to rejoin subsequent sessions.
● Maintain a core group of volunteers for program continuity. - Evaluation and Feedback (Throughout):
● Continuously monitor children’s progress and emotional well-being.
● Collect feedback from children, caregivers, and volunteers. - Community Engagement (Throughout):
● Raise awareness about the project within the community.
Budget: Total Estimated Budget: $4962.5 ( See attached sheet for details )
Conclusion:
Over the next six months, we’ll conduct a series of sessions in the West Bank, serving
different communities and groups of children. These sessions, facilitated by our dedicated
team, will provide a safe space for these young minds to address the emotional wounds l
caused by their exposure to war-related trauma. Through these sessions, we aim to implant
self-worth, empower the children, and offer them the tools to make a positive impact on their
lives and their communities. Our mission is to heal and strengthen them, giving them hope
for the future.
