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In Palestine, the coronavirus nightmare continues unabated, and it is precisely the weakest who bear the brunt.
The figures in recent weeks have grown alarmingly, nearing 6,000 active cases.
The most dramatic situation is in the Hebron area; here 76 percent of the cases are registered, where many of the children and young people who attend theEffetà Institute in Bethlehem live, a school that welcomes more than 180 deaf children and young people every day, giving them the opportunity to study, learn to communicate and thus have a better future.
To stem the pandemic, the government has declared a state of emergency for the third time, but the economy is on its knees and the Palestinian people at the brink.
With the exception of pharmacies and businesses that sell food, all stores are closed and towns like Bethlehem, which live on tourism, are paying a heavy price.

Inevitably, the crisis has also hit and severely affected the work of Effetà, the institute founded in 1971 at the wish of Pope Paul VI and which the John Paul II Foundationhas been supporting for several years now. In an article published in Avvenire by journalist and friend Giacomo Gambassi, director Sr. Lara Hijazin recounted, "the school was closed when the first cases of Covid occurred in Bethlehem (it was March 5). Although classes were suspended our mission did not fail to help students in their learning and to improve their social living. Throughout these months we were always close to the pupils and their families. Teachers provided parents with weekly programs and followed the student's progress. We have supported the children, parents and teachers psychologically to be able to overcome this crisis. "

The school will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, but the resulting health and especially economic crisis threatens to jeopardize the achievement of this historic milestone. If the current crisis lasts much longer, the institute may risk no longer being able to guarantee speech rehabilitation sessions, ad hoc school supplies as well as teachers' salaries. On top of that, many of the students' parents have also lost their jobs or had to stop working, so being able to rely on tuition or their support financially is virtually impossible.

But at least there is good, very good news: all the children attending the Institute are doing well and facing this difficult situation with great courage.
Like Sama and Jannat, who wanted to draw this invisible enemy to give it shape and color.
Seen this way, with their own eyes, the virus is less scary.

HOW TO DONATE FOR DEAF CHILDREN IN BETHLEHEM????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

- Bank transfer made out to John Paul II Foundation using the following Iban IT04I0539005458000000092116 (remember to include your address in the reason field as well)

- Bulletin on postal account no. 95695854 made out to John Paul II Foundation, via Roma, 3 - 52015 Pratovecchio Stia (AR). Reason for payment: "For the children of Effetà Bethlehem."

- Credit card or PayPal on this site or at www.sostienieffeta.org

For less than €1 a day - €25 a month - you can adopt a child to guarantee him an education and speech therapy rehabilitation. Adopting a child from Effetà means concretely offering him the opportunity to learn to communicate thoughts and emotions, to have a better future, integrated in the society in which he will live.