Al-Basma Club for the Disabled (ABCD)

Location: Gaza Strip

Mission: The Al Basma Club for the Disabled (ABCD) is committed to developing sports and recreation as tools to meet the psychological and physical needs of the disabled population in the Gaza Strip. Their program also serves to integrate the growing number of disabled citizens by engaging them in positive social interactions with the community at-large.

Project: Through a grant from the Jerusalem Fund, the ABCD was able to create custom strategies to meet the needs of people of Gaza. The club devised ways to play “sitting volleyball” and designed a “sitting powerlifting” program specifically for the disabled. The ABCD is also the only specialized organization in the Gaza Strip offering specialized care for the hearing impaired. In the aftermath of the recent war on Gaza, the number of persons with disabilities notably increased, particularly women and children. A second grant from the Jerusalem Fund enabled the club to expand their programming to include women with disabilities, and offer a safe environment for disabled children to engage in the rich culture of sport in Palestine. The disabled citizens of Gaza view the Al-Basma Club as an oasis from their current reality.

With your help, The Jerusalem Fund will continue to support programs such as this one that seek to bring a sense of normalcy in a hostile world. Your tax-deductible contribution is an investment in the future of the Palestinian people. Together, we can turn anger into optimism and fear into hope.