Hanan & Hilda

Hanan Says,

I'm Hanan Mohammad . I live in the town of Arrabeh to the south west of the city of Jenin. This is where I've been teaching English for 28 years. I've always felt much commitment to my job and my students. I've also been eager to try new ways to improve my students' language. My goal this year has been to work hard with my students to improve their speaking skill.

With no planning, my English supervisor, Ghada Hamdan, asked me officially to join the Hands Up Project activities to have weekly online sessions with a volunteer.

Honestly at first I thought this would add a new burden to my already overcrowded schedule. But when I got to know Hilda Kalap, a British volunteer with the Hands Up Project, her kindness made me feel less nervous about the sessions.

Moreover, my students' love her together with her special smile, simplicity and most important her clear accent all helped to have successful sessions which were and here I quote Hilda " enriching experience".

Thanks a bunch to Hilda who has been not only a teacher but also a supportive and compassionate friend. She has and is always asking about me and my students.She's been telling us about her voluntary activities to support the Palestinian issue.

Hilda, my students and I have learned a lot from each other: language, culture, customs, religious occasions, we’ve read poems and much, much more. 

Hope we continue next year for the benefit of the Palestinian children.  

Hida Says,

For the past six months through The Hands Up Project I’ve been a volunteer English teacher at the girls’ school in Arrabeh, a town near Jenin in the West Bank. I teach mostly the 14-year-old class and occasionally the class of 15-year-olds.

The classes are made up of around 35 young women who are an absolute joy to teach. They are polite, enthusiastic and their level of English is incredible. In spite ofthe hardships they experience in daily life they continue their studies with determination. It is a deeply humbling experience.

Hanan the teacher is superb. Nothing fazes her – not the camera sometimes not working nor the less than ideal internet connection. She keeps wonderful control of the class and is very organised.

We’ve shared poetry, lessons in culture, customs and friendship at the same time as learning grammar and tenses. When there are exams and we don’t have a class I miss it a great deal. I wish Hanan and the students great success in their exams.

From not knowing much about the situation in Palestine at the beginning I now know a great deal, am learning Arabic and reading my Palestine-inspired poetry at festivals and other events.

This is more than teaching English. This is a connection that has been life-changing.