Little hope for a better future

The situation is particularly dramatic in the densely populated Gaza Strip, which is considered the poorhouse on the Mediterranean. Those who suffer most are the children, who make up about half of the population.

The most pressing problems for the civilian population - especially the children - are.
-Poverty: 70 per cent of the population in Palestine live below the poverty line. In Gaza, the figure is as high as 80 per cent, who are dependent on international aid supplies. Most people have to get by on less than two dollars a day. One in two of them is under 18 years old.

-Malnutrition: Every tenth child in the Gaza Strip is too small for his or her age. More than half of all children in Palestine suffer from anaemia caused by iron deficiency.

-Education emergency: Due to the permanent crisis, hundreds of schools in Palestine have been closed or destroyed in recent years. More than 30 percent of all young people do not attend secondary school.

-Traumatised children: Girls and boys in Palestine grow up in a climate of violence. As a result, it is estimated that 80 percent of girls and boys suffer from behavioural problems and mental health problems.

-Violence in families: Violence on the streets spills over into families. Child abuse is a widespread problem. Many young people are prone to aggressive behaviour themselves.
SOS Children's Villages is on the ground. For example, in Rafah we run an SOS Children's Village for abandoned, abused or orphaned children. Our SOS Social Centre and the Hermann Gmeiner School are connected to it.

We thus support around 1,500 families with social and economic aid. 120 children are allowed to attend a high-quality school and another 120 girls and boys find a new home in the SOS Children's Village.