Al-Quds – In a humanitarian gesture, the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, affiliated with the Al-Quds Committee chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, distributed on Friday in-kind gifts, school bags and stationery to children with cancer and kidney disease at the "Al-Israr School", affiliated with Augusta Victoria Hospital (Al-Mutala'a) in the city of Al-Quds.
The Director in charge of managing the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, Mr. Mohamed Salem Cherkaoui, joined the children and their teachers for the opening of the school year. He toured the paediatric cancer ward and distributed gifts to the children, boys and girls alike, then visited the paediatric dialysis unit, where he handed school bags to the children, and met with the team supervising the "Al-Israr School".
Mr. Cherkaoui said that this annual initiative falls within the framework of the special and ongoing relationship between the Agency and Al-Mutala'a Hospital, and targets a social group in need of greater support and care.
Mr. Cherkaoui commended the strong humanitarian sense and high professionalism of the medical and administrative staff supervising the medical care departments and the school, expressing the Agency's commitment to providing all forms of support that help deliver appropriate services to these children and assist them throughout their treatment journey.
The "Al-Israr School" at Al-Mutala'a Hospital is a mixed public school, established in September 2016, which serves students absent from their schools due to illness, particularly cancer and kidney failure patients whose condition requires them to stay in hospital for days and nights to receive treatment.
For his part, the Director of the Community Business Centre and Public Relations at Al-Mutala'a Hospital, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Khatib, praised, on behalf of the hospital management, the Agency's initiative for the second consecutive year, noting its positive impact in supporting the children psychologically and morally and in enabling them to continue their education alongside their treatment.
The Principal of the "Al-Israr School", Ms. Hiyam Sandouqa, said that the Agency's support encourages students to continue their studies and remain connected with their original schools alongside their treatment journey, stressing the need of Jerusalemite schools and institutions for such initiatives that help them pursue their educational mission. She also expressed her thanks to the Agency, the Kingdom of Morocco and the hospital management for supporting the initiative.
The head of the Specialised Paediatrics Department at Al-Mutala'a Hospital, Mr. Mohammad Qabaja, said that the Agency's initiative represents an important and complementary aspect of treatment protocols, given its effect in lifting the children's morale and supporting them psychologically during treatment, noting that the gifts and school bags give them the feeling that they are not alone and that there are people standing by them throughout their treatment journey.
Young Diala Daraawi expressed her happiness at the visit of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, saying: "Today they gave us gifts, and I was very happy and delighted with this visit. Thank you for giving us gifts."
