Holy Land: Spafford Children's Centre

Location: Jerusalem, Holy Land
Director: Dr Jantien Dajani
Founded: 1925

How it all started
On Christmas Eve in 1925, a woman named Bertha Spafford Vester met a couple in Jerusalem with a tiny newborn baby, seeking medical care. As it was Christmas Eve, all the hospital outpatients departments were closed. Bertha took action and the woman was admitted to the hospital but, the following day, the man came to her house to say that his wife had died. He begged Bertha to take care of the baby, as he lived in a cave and feared that the child would die if he returned home with him. She accepted the child, a little boy whom she named Noël, and that was the start of the Spafford Baby Hospital.

Since that time, the Centre has grown, adapting to the changing political situation and needs of the local population. Its programmes have gradually expanded and diversified and are still developing and changing to meet new situations as they arise. For example, the long school closures and violent disturbances caused by the current intifada (Palestinian uprising) left many children psychologically traumatized, unable to adapt to normal life and school education. The Centre has met this challenge by developing a Psycho-Social-Special Education and Cultural Department to help the children and mothers cope with the situation.

Current activities
The Centre provides health care for thousands of disadvantaged children in Jerusalem, offering an integrated range of services that are grouped within different departments.

Medical Department

The daily paediatric clinic is staffed by a paediatrician and nurse. Children up to 18 years old are examined and treated with medicines and food supplies available in the small dispensing office on the premises.
In the Infant Welfare Section, babies and children receive a full range of vaccinations and their growth is carefully monitored through regular weighing and measuring. Children with problems are referred to the paediatric clinic or other departments. The experienced staff advise mothers on nutrition and the general care of the child.

Psycho-Social-Educational Department

The Social Section offers individual and group counselling for women and adolescents. The courses for adolescents are given mainly in schools, but deal with subjects outside the normal school curriculum. The courses for women cover all aspects of a woman’s life, including social aspects. Therapeutic sessions help relieve post-traumatic stress syndromes resulting from past or present hurtful events. In addition, practical support is given to people in need.
In the Psychological Section, children are tested and registered in courses where they receive special education and counselling. As the results are usually better when the child is young, emphasis lies on early detection and treatment, and special Play Therapy courses are designed for pre-school children.
The Educational Section helps children with problems caused by a learning disability or psychological stress and runs parallel to the normal school curriculum.
Children with a speech problem learn to overcome their difficulty in the Speech Therapy Section. Their disability may be the result of a psychological problem but, if not addressed, will hamper the child’s development and create worse psychological problems. Often children with a speech impediment also need educational help.

The Cultural Department: Established in 1998, this department has expanded slowly and is fast assuming the characteristics of a community club for children, teenagers and even mothers. Taking part in these activities compliments the treatment the children receive in the other departments.

The Department offers different activities, ranging from art with different media, a library, folklore, dancing, theatre, music, sports and games, and so on, and may help the child to develop talents and skills.
During the holidays, camps are organised for different age groups. These help to answer the needs of children and adolescents, giving them an opportunity to enjoy some fun, laughter and relaxation with other people their own age, in otherwise difficult circumstances.

Spafford Children’s Centre has earned widespread trust and respect. The Centre is forward-looking and highly professional, and has pioneered the use of new techniques. It is also unusual in having been run by women for the last 25 years and, in an area of so much sectarian conflict, in having Muslims, Jews and Christians among its staff.

Location: Jerusalem, Holy Land Director: Dr Jantien Dajani Founded: 1925 How it all started On Christmas Eve in 1925, a woman named Bertha Spafford Vester met a couple in Jerusalem with a tiny newborn baby, seeking medical care. As it was Christmas Eve, all the hospital outpatients departments were closed. Bertha took action and the woman was admitted to the hospital but, the following day, the man came to her house to say that his wife had died. He begged Bertha to take care of the baby, as he lived in a cave and feared that the child would die if he returned home with him. She accepted the child, a little boy whom she named Noël, and that was the start of the Spafford Baby Hospital. Since that time, the Centre has grown, adapting to the changing political situation and needs of the local population. Its programmes have gradually expanded and diversified and are still developing and changing to meet new situations as they arise. For example, the long school closures and violent disturbances caused by the current intifada (Palestinian uprising) left many children psychologically traumatized, unable to adapt to normal life and school education. The Centre has met this challenge by developing a Psycho-Social-Special Education and Cultural Department to help the children and mothers cope with the situation. Current activities The Centre provides health care for thousands of disadvantaged children in Jerusalem, offering an integrated range of services that are grouped within different departments. Medical Department The daily paediatric clinic is staffed by a paediatrician and nurse. Children up to 18 years old are examined and treated with medicines and food supplies available in the small dispensing office on the premises. In the Infant Welfare Section, babies and children receive a full range of vaccinations and their growth is carefully monitored through regular weighing and measuring. Children with problems are referred to the paediatric clinic or other departments. The experienced staff advise mothers on nutrition and the general care of the child. Psycho-Social-Educational Department The Social Section offers individual and group counselling for women and adolescents. The courses for adolescents are given mainly in schools, but deal with subjects outside the normal school curriculum. The courses for women cover all aspects of a woman’s life, including social aspects. Therapeutic sessions help relieve post-traumatic stress syndromes resulting from past or present hurtful events. In addition, practical support is given to people in need. In the Psychological Section, children are tested and registered in courses where they receive special education and counselling. As the results are usually better when the child is young, emphasis lies on early detection and treatment, and special Play Therapy courses are designed for pre-school children. The Educational Section helps children with problems caused by a learning disability or psychological stress and runs parallel to the normal school curriculum. Children with a speech problem learn to overcome their difficulty in the Speech Therapy Section. Their disability may be the result of a psychological problem but, if not addressed, will hamper the child’s development and create worse psychological problems. Often children with a speech impediment also need educational help. The Cultural Department: Established in 1998, this department has expanded slowly and is fast assuming the characteristics of a community club for children, teenagers and even mothers. Taking part in these activities compliments the treatment the children receive in the other departments. The Department offers different activities, ranging from art with different media, a library, folklore, dancing, theatre, music, sports and games, and so on, and may help the child to develop talents and skills. During the holidays, camps are organised for different age groups. These help to answer the needs of children and adolescents, giving them an opportunity to enjoy some fun, laughter and relaxation with other people their own age, in otherwise difficult circumstances. Spafford Children’s Centre has earned widespread trust and respect. The Centre is forward-looking and highly professional, and has pioneered the use of new techniques. It is also unusual in having been run by women for the last 25 years and, in an area of so much sectarian conflict, in having Muslims, Jews and Christians among its staff.		Dr Jantien Dajani
		Noël, the first 'Spafford baby', in the late 1920s, with another baby at the Centre.


		This group of teenage girls have benefited from the work of the Centre, both through the counselling sessions as well as through the Cultural Department.