WIZO USA Emergency Campaign

Since March, hundreds of rockets have fallen in the town of Sderot and the surrounding regions. New horrors, terror kites and arson balloons, have wreaked enormous destruction on the area. As always, it is the children who are the most vulnerable and who are most traumatized. It is estimated that more than 75 percent of children in Sderot exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress and that nearly 50 percent of children living in the region suffer from full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

How WIZO Helps

In Sderot, WIZO operates the Margaret Thatcher Day Care Center, The Bruce and Ruth Rapport Day Care Center and The Jacqueline Emma Benghouzi Day Care Center. These centers provide ongoing support and counseling for young children ages 3-9, and their families. Last year, the Center served some more than 1500 families.

The support focuses on resilience building, post-trauma treatment and supplemental care for children and families who are attending WIZO Day Care Centers in the region. Programs include:

• Homeschooling instructional programs: Many school days are canceled due to security threats. These programs provide guidance and tools for both the parents and the children, offering both individual and group assistance during times of crisis.
• Community group counseling programs: Counseling programs are offered to families of all ages and life stages.
• Workshops: Professional workshops for educators, counselors, and community members that provide tools to identify PTSD and development difficulties among children.
• Telephone support line for parents: A hotline that provides consultation and support services for parents. The hotline is operated by WIZO volunteers, and in times of war and severe crisis, it becomes a 24/7 emergency hotline.
• Child development services:  These programs identify and treat children with potential development issues.

With additional funding, WIZO will be able to implement the support and counseling programs on-site in all of these daycare centers. WIZO plays a leading role in caring for the children of Sderot and the Gaza border areas and we hope to continue to expand this role.