In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, the Children of Peace Foundation is dedicated to supporting Children and families, regardless of race, religion or cultural background, who have been traumatized by war, conflict, or abuse.
The Children of Peace Foundation was founded in 2007 to support the Holy Child Program, located in the Bethlehem region. The Holy Child Program is a school and counseling center with services dedicated to traumatized children operated by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.
It is estimated that 51% of Palestinian children suffer from acute trauma and 96% have witnessed traumatic events. While these statistics reflect the effects of war, violence and conflict in this region, it does not include other forms of trauma such as domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse. The cumulative effect of these types of trauma, coupled with the likelihood of children in this region becoming re-traumatized further complicates treatment.
Currently, the Holy Child Program is the only specialized program serving traumatized children in the Bethlehem region. It is a school-based program that serves both the children and their families, providing an array of therapeutic services. This program is unique not only because of the types of services it offers families, but because it promotes a sense of dignity and self-efficacy for the people who work and receive services there. Currently, the wait list to get into this program is 300 children and continues to grow, demonstrating the acute need for these services.