Palestine Play Projects
Our Team. Our History.
We are a volunteer-led team dedicated to supporting children’s play and creativity in Palestine. Some of us have lived or worked there, others have visited, and some are simply motivated by a deep desire to help children living under occupation experience the joy and freedom of play. Together, we share a firm belief in the right of every Palestinian child to play, imagine, and create — even in the face of war, loss, and displacement.
“We work amidst the rubble — not just the physical, but the emotional wreckage as well. And despite everything, we keep searching for what is beautiful.”
Trustees & Supporters
Evie lives in London. She works in the charity sector as a fundraiser.
Julian, from Bath, is a writer, editor and social entrepreneur.
Lesley, from West Berkshire, runs a small company focusing on mathematical education.
Nora is Irish but now lives in Spain. She has been volunteering in the West Bank for 20 years.
Ros, from West Berkshire, works in education welfare.
Sadia, from Manchester, has a background in interfaith and conflict resolution.
Shireen is Palestinian and currently lives in London where she is a community organiser.
Anahita is from London, currently entering the culture and heritage sector.
Theresa, based in Scotland, is a writer and consultant on play, inclusion and children's human rights.
Patron:
Martin Parsons
Historian, Expert on War Child Studies
Martin Parsons PhD, FRHistS, is a retired Professor of Modern History and formerly the Director of the Research Centre for Evacuee and War Child Studies at the University of Reading. He is a leading expert on the short and long-term effects of war on children and has lectured and addressed conferences all over Europe and the USA.
Martin is co-founder of Beyond Conflict, a mental health charity for children affected by war and now acts as an Ambassador.
Our History
2015
Our charity is born
Playgrounds for Palestine UK (now Palestine Play Projects) began after an article in The Guardian about Susan Abulhawa, founder of Playgrounds for Palestine in the USA.
“Everyone can do something,” she said. “It isn’t changing the world, but it is bringing joy to those who use it.”
Inspired by that vision, we set up a UK-registered charity to help Palestinian children enjoy their childhoods. If we could build even one playground, we thought, we would have made a difference.
2017
Our first playground
After a steep learning curve, within a year we raised enough to fund a new playground in Kobar, in the West Bank.
With thanks to Playgrounds for Palestine USA for managing logistics and safety, we saw our first dream become reality — a safe, joyful place for children to play.
2018
Two more playgrounds
Even in 2018, building playgrounds in Gaza was a challenge. Import restrictions made it impossible to bring in play equipment.
Working with PfP USA, we helped fund two playgrounds at kindergartens in Aheba el Tefel and Nawa.
Videos of children laughing and playing reminded us exactly why this work matters — and inspired us to continue.
2019
Another two playgrounds
When playground equipment ordered for the West Bank was refused entry, it was redirected to Rashidieh and Borj el Shamali refugee camps in Lebanon.
There, children who had lost so much found moments of joy and belonging among swings and slides — a powerful reminder that play knows no borders.
2020
Safe play for every child
At the Al Shurooq School for the Blind, near Bethlehem, we replaced an unsafe playground with equipment designed for children with little or no sight.
The physical therapy team now uses the new space to help develop posture, balance, and coordination — through safe, joyful play. Later, we added a shade canopy so it could be used all year round.
In the same year, we also built an outdoor gym at Talitha Kumi School near Bethlehem, open to students and the wider community — giving older children a space to move, play, and belong.
2021
More play in Gaza
Together with PfP USA and the municipality of Bani Suheila, we funded new play equipment and a soccer field in Gaza.
We also supported essential infrastructure — plumbing, electrical works, and a retaining wall — to secure the playground for the community’s future.
2022
Partnership in Silwan
We partnered with the Maada Creative Centre in Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbourhood — a vibrant community hub offering safety and creativity for local children.
We helped refurbish their multi-level playground, repairing walls, adding benches and roofing, and providing colourful new equipment.
Our relationship with the inspiring Maada team continues, as we plan new play areas nearby in Wadi Hilweh.
2023
Hope in the West Bank
The escalation of war in Gaza led us to pause fundraising and encourage donors to support emergency relief efforts. But as the months passed, it became clear that children also needed emotional support and that actually the power of play was really needed, alongside safety, food, and shelter.
We began working with Child Smile. The project was so successful that we funded a second round of workshops — reaching over 500 children and helping them find strength through creativity and play.
Despite the ongoing conflict, new playground equipment was installed in the village of Burin.
Children can now play safely — a simple joy made extraordinary by the circumstances. When it’s safe to do so, we plan to add equipment for the youngest children, ensuring this small space of freedom continues to grow.
2024
Healing through play
2025
A new chapter
As our mission evolved, we said a heartfelt farewell and thank you to Playgrounds for Palestine USA and adopted our new name: Palestine Play Projects.
This change reflects our broader purpose — to protect and promote children’s right to play, as enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
2025
Continuing and forming partnerships
We are delighted to now be working with an NGO in Gaza, Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA), to fund art, drama and music workshops for children. Our partnership with Child Smile also continues. A third round of funding is now helping them reach hundreds more displaced children across Gaza.
Looking ahead
Playgrounds, drama, art, and imagination — all are part of children’s healing and resilience.
At Palestine Play Projects, we believe that every child, wherever they live, deserves the chance to play, to dream, and to simply be a child.
