Childhood Safe Spaces
Israel
ESI has established already seventeen early childhood safe spaces for children from families evacuated from the Southern Israel (Otef Azza) and Northern Israel. These safe spaces are located at the kibbutz Maale Hachmisha, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Herzliya, Hadera and Eilat, in hotels where the evacuated families have found temporary refuge.
We acknowledge that comprehending the full extent of the challenges we are all facing, especially the children, can be daunting. However, what we do know for sure is that creating a structured and secure environment with a dedicated team of professionals who interact with the children daily, engaging in play, creative activities, conversations, and providing emotional support, can significantly alleviate the profound trauma they are experiencing. These efforts can positively impact both their present and future well-being.
The expertise we acquired in creating safe spaces for children affected by the war in Ukraine has become valuable in the Israeli context as well.,Northern Israel.
Early Starters International הקימה שבעה-עשרה מרחבים בטוחים לילדים ממשפחות שפונו מיישובי עוטף עזה ומצפון הארץ. המרחבים ממוקמים בקיבוץ מעלה החמישה, בים המלח בירושליםליה , בהרצליה, חדרה ובאילת, בבתי מלון בהם מצאו המשפחות המפונות מקלט זמני.
אף אחד עדיין לא מעכל את מלוא מימד האסון ובוודאי לא הילדים. מה שברור הוא שיצירת שגרה בטוחה עבור הילדים, עם צוות מקצועי, מיומן וקבוע שיפגש עם הילדים בכל יום, ישחק איתם, יצור איתם, ידבר ויחבק אותם, מרככת את השפעות הטראומה הקשה שהם עוברים ומשפיעה על ההווה והעתיד שלהם. המומחיות שרכשנו ביצירת מרחבים בטוחים לילדים נפגעי המלחמה באוקראינה הפכה לבעלת ערך גם בהקשר הישראלי.
Early Childhood Safe Spaces
Ukraine
ESI has developed 18 early childhood safe spaces for young children, 7 in Moldova, 7 in Israel, 2 in Prague, one in Lviv, Ukraine and one in Krakow, Poland. Our staff, mostly women refugees from Ukraine with relevant experience, receive professional development and support in dealing with challenges that arise. The young children’s safe space is also a base where community activities for mothers are organized – such as family visits to museums or hikes, and complementary services like legal advice and language studies. Our organization now includes 50 staff members, the majority of which are refugee mothers from Ukraine. We’ve had over 5000 children participate in our early childhood safe spaces, and thousands of families have received our services. Daily, we have approximately 500 children join our activities and benefit from the early childhood educational and social services we provide.
Refugee Children Emergency Response
Ukraine | Moldova | Israel | Czechia | Poland | New York
LATEST ACTIVITIES
New Safe Space in New York
The Mayflower Hotel in Queens, New York, is one of the hotels around the city that is accommodating hundreds of asylum seekers. The majority coming from Latin America, as well as Eastern Europe and Africa. It is also the only hotel where an Emergency Safe space for early age children exists.
The space in Mayflower hotel serves around 30 children between ages 2-4 that lost their home and country and find in the space a stable routine, love and care, opportunity to connect with other children and the ability to develop various social and emotional skills.
The hotel is run by Early Starters, the Community Mediation Services, sesame workshop, and together with the JCCA.
Early Starters International
AROUND THE GLOBE
Early Starters International is an educational humanitarian organization that brings back a healthy childhood to young children in emergency situations and vulnerable communities around the world
A health education program which trains educators and community leaders on the most effective ways to teach young children about Trachoma. Partners: NALA, Sight Savers, Light for the World, JDC
Development of support tools and training for early childhood education professionals in the 21st century. Partners: JDC, Prodev
Training mothers in refugee shelters, creating a space for young children in the refugee camp, and helping support moms to operate the space themselves. Partner: IsraAID
Training for early educators and caregivers that encourages innovation, creativity, independence, problem solving, and joy in the classroom. Partners: Jesuit Refugee Services
ESI has established three early childhood safe spaces for children from families evacuated from the Southern Israel (Otef Azza). These safe spaces are located at the kibbutz Maale Hachmisha, the Dead Sea, and Eilat, in hotels where the evacuated families have found temporary refuge.
We acknowledge that comprehending the full extent of the challenges we are all facing, especially the children, can be daunting. However, what we do know for sure is that creating a structured and secure environment with a dedicated team of professionals who interact with the children daily, engaging in play, creative activities, conversations, and providing emotional support, can significantly alleviate the profound trauma they are experiencing. These efforts can positively impact both their present and future well-being.
It’s remarkable how the expertise we gained from our work in Ukraine has become invaluable in this context.
