The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children

Annual Report 2011

Dear partners and friends,

The role of the Jerusalem

Princess Basma Center re-

mains being one of the three

national resource and referral

Centers in Palestine. The

Center continues to diag-

nose, investigate and formu-

late a comprehensive habili-

tation and rehabilitation pro-

grams for children with spe-

cial needs from birth up to

fifteen years old, as well as

giving support and advice to

their families. A total num-

ber of 200-250 children per

year are referred to the Cen-

ter as in-patients, referred

from the Palestinian Terri-

tory of the West Bank for

treatment and rehabilitation

for a period of two weeks up

to two months. In addition

60-80 children from the Je-

rusalem area are referred per

year for day care services.

The presence of the mother

or family member during the

child’s treatment is compul-

sory. The mother follows

her child during treatment

from one department to an-

other thus sharing, learning

and becoming a partner in

the Rehab program.

Betty Majaj (Mrs.)

Chief Executive Officer

Regular School Day Children:

The number of school children for the current

scholastic year 2011-2012 is 658 students

which is less in comparison to last year. This

decrease is mainly in the Kindergarten classes

and is due to the increase of Kindergarten

schools in the area. Those children receive

mainstream education within an inclusive edu-

cational setting. Nineteen teachers received

training on inclusive education, developed their

skills/knowledge and upgraded the quality of

their output.

Out of 658 students 135 have special needs: 16

have learning disabilities, 3 have speech prob-

lems, 11 have health problems, 6 have visual

disabilities, 42 have physical disabilities and 57

have hearing impairments with either cochlear

implants or hearing aids.

The Out-Patient Physio-

therapy Department:

The statistics on inadequate

Israeli insurance reimburse-

ment on patients referred to

the out-patients physiother-

apy department showed a big

deficit. The future running of

this department depends on

assessing and reorganizing

work structures thus increas-

ing effectiveness at a lower

cost.

Music program at the School:

Last summer the Center hosted on its premises the Edward Said National Conser-

vatory of Music with the aim of introducing and testing the musical talents of a

group of students, in vocal cords, hearing capabilities and introducing them to

various musical instruments in order to choose one of them. One of the students

was remarkably talented; after proving himself to have a great talent in the

“Oud” (oriental string instrument) he was granted a scholarship to be covered

equally by the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center and the Conservatory of Music.

(The cost of training for one year is US$ 1000). This has encouraged other tal-

ented children to come forward and register for next summer’s musical courses.

We ask our donors to consider supporting this music program, the first of its kind

in our school based on our belief in the role of music in enhancing communication

with others. Music is the most effective and influential tool of interaction that

transcends physical, moral and psychological barriers; healthy people as well as

those with special needs understand it and respond to it.

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The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children

Annual Report 2011

The Present Status of the Center:

Currently the Center is facing a financial crisis. We are in the

process of revising a work process together with the commit-

tee from the Episcopal Church assigned by our chairman,

Bishop Suheil Dawani, in order to identify areas for restruc-

turing where expenses are greater than the income. This en-

tails reduction of staff and the complete closure of the Center

two days a week from Thursday afternoon through Saturday

to save on utilities, food and heat.

The need continues and grows. May God continue to bless

you and honor your trust in Him. He promised never to leave

us nor forsake us; He never shall.

Vocational Training – Sheltered Workshop:

We are currently trying to upgrade the quality of

work to be able to market the proceeds. Additional

equipment and tools are needed pending the funding

towards costs amounting to $ 7,000 towards tools and

$ 3,000 towards cost of material, wood, straw and

cane.

Contact information:

Website: www.basma-centre.org

Email: info@basma-centre.org

Tel: +972-2-6283058

Fax: + 972-6274449

Snoezelen room vertical view In-patient in therapy

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The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children

Annual Report 2011

Outreach Program:

The quality of services provided at

the intermediate level centers in

the northern part of Palestine were

upgraded and developed. Twenty

therapists received training and

developed their skills/knowledge

and upgraded the quality of their

services.

A system of coordination and co-

operation was established between

the Center and providers of inter-

mediate level care.

East Jerusalem Hospital Network:

The World Health Organization held its first annual East Jerusalem Hospital

Network conference in East Jerusalem. The six Arab hospitals including

the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children presented an

overview of each hospital’s services, achievements and the benefits derived

from their joint cooperation and through their regular meetings. Future

needs were identified. The conference was attended by the officials: the

Palestinian Minister of Health, the Governor of Arab East Jerusalem, the

Director of the European Union, World Health Organization Director and

the senior professional staff from the six different hospitals.

The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center presented two different papers on the

latest research program on children with Cerebral Palsy and the establish-

ment of the new Autism Department.

A Dream Come True: Autism Department and Snoezelen Room:

We are proud and pleased to report that the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center has at long last been able to establish on

the premises the Sensory Room (Snoezelen Room) gratefully funded by the European Union (EU) through Diakonia/

NAD of Sweden. It is the first room of its kind in Palestine. It is a multi-sensory room developed from the Dutch con-

cept of snoezelen in the 1980s. It is a specifically designed environment which enables people with special needs and

the autistic children in particular to enjoy a very wide range of sensory experiences for their therapy, learning, stimula-

tion, relaxation and fun. It enables people with any degree of disability to change and influence their environment in a

positive way. Multi-sensory rooms are used by people of all ages, all abilities for relaxation and focused works commu-

nication and stress release. They were designed by Mike Ayres UK company, in London. Two of our medical staff

were sent to London to get their training on its use by the designer himself free of charge for which we are very grateful.

The room was implemented by Yossie Gaitelband from Jerusalem on our premises. Currently we have started treating

children at the Autism Department as of the age of 3 years. The sensory room has proven to be very beneficial stimula-

tion be it visual, auditory, sensory and for concentration. It is helpful not only for those with Autism but for all those

children with special needs. The staff are very committed and have shown great enthusiasm upon witnessing the impact

of the sensory room on the children. Families of autistic children receive empowerment sessions.

Snoezelen room horizontal view Autism Department

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The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children

Annual Report 2011

Donation through our bank in Jerusa-lem: Account Name: The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre for Disabled Children Name of Bank: Mercantile-Discount Bank Ltd. Address: Salah Eddin Street– East Jerusa-lem Bank #: (17) - Branch # (638) USD Account # 402052 Swift code: BARDILIT

The American Friends of

the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem 25 Old King’s Highway No., Suite 13 Darien, CT 06820, USA Tel: 203-655-3575 Contact person: Ms. Anne Lynn Email: aklynn@afedj.org Website: www.afedj.org Our tax EIN is under the name of Evangelical Homes

for Children and is 59-6155008

United Methodist Church, USA

UMCOR Advance number 14238 A

www.gbgm-UMC.org

For UK Donors: HSBC, Notting Hill Branch Account Name: JustAct Middle East Account Number: 81512757 Sort Code: 40-05-08

Kindly make your cheques payable to “The Jerusalem Princess Basma Center”.

Please inform us of your donation ahead of time.

Tax deductible donations may be sent to:

Thanks: We would like to convey special thanks to Wheelchair Angels of Montana Inc. Highwood, Montana, USA, and to

Richard Stepan in particular, who is spending great time in designing and fitting specialized wheelchairs to the children

at the Center and among the Palestinian community in the West Bank.

Special thanks to Caritas Jerusalem for donating forty regular wheelchairs for the use of children treated at the Center

referred from the West Bank. We extend our thanks as well to the Mormon Center (Brigham Young University) on the

Mount of Olives in Jerusalem for their continued support, through various channels, donating school kits, sending stu-

dents to spend fun time and music with the Kindergarten classes and their artistic talents expressed in their beautiful rich

murals on the Center’s walls thus creating an atmosphere of warmth.

We thank you all for your friendship, your vital support in the year past and wish you all the best in the years to come.

The will to survive and to continue in an optimistic future was never greater despite our severe financial crisis the Center

is going through.

We wish to extend our greetings, thanks and best wishes to all our donors and partners and friends everywhere. A spe-

cial word of thanks goes to our board members and staff for their dedicated service.