The Al-Sama Initiative has been working for twelve years to establish curative education in the Middle East. Fayza Vida Al-Husseini reports on how her work is faring in light of the escalating Middle East war.
“Out of darkness, light emerges.” This has been the guiding principle of the Al-Sama Initiative since 2002. Inspired by the spirit of anthroposophy, our future vision is to establish the first therapeutic village for people with disabilities in the Middle East—a model for social therapy and curative education that restores hope and rebuilds lives. We began our work in Gaza in 2004, where we established our first model residence home. This continued until 2006, when the war forced us to relocate to Jenin in the West Bank. Our work flourished there until 2020 when COVID-19 shut borders and disrupted lives. Faced with these challenges, we moved to Shfaram, a city known for its rich cultural and religious diversity, to embark on a new chapter. Thanks to significant support from Kibbutz Harduf, we were able to establish study groups and training programs in social therapy and curative education in Shafa-Amer, enabling us to prepare a dedicated team ready to lead the Al-Sama Initiative in Shfaram.
In recent years, our initiative has expanded to several Arab countries, including Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Algeria. Despite harsh conditions, the Idlib group in northern Syria has remained a symbol of resilience, completing their fourth year of study via Zoom under the guidance of Professor Qais. In Gaza, the group was initially led by Professor Shahir Zaiter, a psychology lecturer, but disbanded entirely during the 2024 war. Most members disappeared without a trace, except for Shahir, Soha, and Ali, who survived the tragedy. Despite this, Soha Zallout has now gathered a new group of eight women who, though lacking security and stability, cling to a glimmer of hope to continue their mission.
At this critical moment, we are focusing our efforts on reviving the work in Gaza. Professor Shahir Zaiter is spearheading a new initiative through Zoom conferences, but we need international support to achieve this goal. Anthroposophy, with its values of social and humanistic therapy, can be the light that restores hope for those living in the darkest conditions. Together, we can make 2025 a year of new beginnings for Gaza, where groups can find their way back to stability and light once more. This is an invitation to all who read these words: join us in supporting Gaza, where the light of hope can shine again. Our message is clear: “Even in the darkest moments, humanity can find its way to the light.”
Contact alsamacamphill.pal@gmail.com
Translation Charles Cross
Photo Vivek Doshi
