Playgrounds

Ubadiyeh Playground

Why Playgrounds

Why “Al-Bayyara”The ProjectProject ObjectivesPart of a wider “Community Project”DonorsProject ImplementationAverage Cost of a PlaygroundCompleted WorkWork in ProgressHow to Get InvolvedAs a Donor…Contact Us

First Al-Bayyara Playground Ein Munjid, Ramallah – July 2012

In Palestine, there is a dramatic lack of safe outdoor playing areas for children to spend their free time and practice outdoor activities.Most Palestinian children spend their spare time playing in the streets due to the unavailability of any alternative safe outdoor playing areas, leading to a large number of children injured or even killed by traffic accidents each year.

“Al-Bayyara” is the Arabic word for an orange orchard. For Palestinians, the orchard is more than just an owned property; it is the family’s livelihood and therefore represents not only material gain but also their spiritual wholeness and emotional stability.

Al-Bayyara Playgrounds project aims to design and construct at least hundreds of public playgrounds, around 1000 m2 each, in different populated neighborhoods in Palestine, where there is a lack of such facilities. The playgrounds will serve as outdoor recreational facilities for all the children and their parents residing in these neighborhoods.

Provide the children with safe outdoor playing areas for entertainment and recreation.

Help reduce the number of children who are injured and killed every year in tra�c accidents by o�ering them alternatives to playing in the streets.

Increase the green areas, adding beauty to the Palestinian community.

Foster community bonding between families living in the same neighborhoods by meeting in these playgrounds.

Create job opportunities for those who contribute in the design, construction and maintenance of these playgrounds.

Encouraging Palestinian made goods: when sourcing material for the construction of the playgrounds, priority is given to locally made products and local suppliers.

Remind the Palestinians about the historical importance of the oranges trees in Palestine through the name of the project, “Al-Bayyara”. Orange trees will be planted in each playground for this same purpose.

Help improve the health conditions of the Palestinian community by encouraging both the children and their parents to spend time outdoors especially that Vitamin D de�ciency is widely spread among our community due to the lack of exposure to the sun.

Provide the Palestinians in the Diaspora with the opportunity to contribute in building and developing their home communities.

These playgrounds will later serve as community centres where we will organize regular community events such as:

Story tellingSmall concerts

Educational games

Arts & crafts

Awareness workshops on issues such as:

Breast cancer for mother

Post war trauma therapy for children

Other issues relevant to the Palestinian family

Ras Karkar, Ramallah

Beit Our, Ramallah

Ebedye, Bethlehem

Turmosaya Playground

Abu Falah, Ramallah

As an initiator and founder of the project, Bank of Palestine committed USD 150,000 each year for three years , in addition to the marketing campaign. Main co funders of the Al Bayyara Project :- Welfare Association, ANERA, Muna & Basem Hishmeh and George & Rhonda Salem

List of Al Bayyara donors over the years ( Palestinian Diaspora & foreign ):-

Municipalities of the land on which the playgrounds are constructed also commit to maintaining the playgrounds.

Al Hani Construction & Training Co.American Federation of Ramallah PalestineArabia Industrial Valves ManufacturerAzmi Abdullatif Abdulhadi & Sons Holding Co.Belen 2000Birzeit SocietyConsolidated Contractors Company (CCC)Dina ShawaEddie FarahEmad KamalEmployees of Bank of PalestineFarouk Shami - CHIGulf Spic General Trading & Contracting Company W.L.L (Gs)Haifa ShakhashirHashem HashemHuda KitmittoHuda ShawaIbrahim Wadie TaklaKhatib & Alami Consolidated Engineering Co.

Maha Abu GhazalehMemorial for Isam Labib HishmehMemorial for Mahfuz and Maria AjluniMID Contracting Company LLCPADICO HoldingProjacs Construction & Management Training / DevelopmentRamallah Chicago ClubRamallah Houston ClubRamallah Jacksonville ClubRamallah Metro ClubRibhi and Norma ZaidRiyadh PharmaSaid AbdulhadiSan Francisco Palestinian CommunitySuheil SabbaghTurmusayya Charitable Society of NY/NJUNEC – L.L.CUnited Holy Land Fund NY/NJWelfare Association for Youth

The Steering Committee , which is made up of the main donors has assigned two professional and well known non – profit organizations – Muna & Basem Hishmeh and the Welfare Association – to implement the project under its supervision, direction, and maintenance of the playgrounds.

Since the land is donated by a municipality, each playground costs around USD 55,000.

QabatyaAl Bireh 1/ As- sufaraAl Jadwal – RamallahJericho- Al IsterahaBethlehem

Ein Munjid – RamallahEbedye – BethlehemRas Karkar – Ramallah and Al- Bireh GovernorateJeninJabalia- GazaAbu Falah – Ramallah and Al- Bireh GovernorateAl Masyoun – RamallahSarreyet RamallahAl Saftawi- Gaza Deir Al-Balah - Gaza

TulkaremQataneh - Jerusalem GovernorateNablusBeit Our – Ramallah and Al- Bireh GovernorateBeitjalaAl Tireh - RamallahTel Al- HawaAl- Ezaraiya

Assaf - Khan YounisDeir Dibwan

Turmusaya Al- Bireh 2Birzeit

For donations of USD 100,000 per year, you are entitled to join the Steering Committee.

Each USD 10,000 entitles you to include your name on a playground plaque.

For more information, please email:csr@bop.pswww.bankofpalestine.com

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