Donate to the School of Joy

25 years ago, Fr. Mamdouh Abusada set up the first special school for children with learning difficulties in the West Bank. Children who were excluded from other schools and deemed impossible to teach.

Today, 90 wonderful children experience love, acceptance and an education they can access at School of Joy, just outside Bethlehem in Beit Sahour.

“I couldn’t seem to learn at my old school. At School of Joy I feel comfortable and happy. My teacher plays games with me that teach me things like maths. I feel calm playing and can easily remember what I learn that way.” – student with ADHD, age 9 

How the school began

School of Joy was founded by Father Mamdouh Abusada in 1998. He was working at a family centre in Bethlehem, when parents started asking him for help. Their children were being excluded from schools who couldn’t cope with them. They were saying they must go to a special needs school instead – but there weren’t any of those.

With no school place, these children would have no education and little hope for the future. In fact, many Palestinian children with disabilities end up as street children, roaming around while their parents work. In some cases, having a child with a disability carries a stigma and they can be abandoned or shut away at home alone.

God put these children in Father Mamdouh’s heart, and he began to research what it would take to start a specialist school for them. He wanted love and joy to be at its core – things these children had too often been missing.

God opened a way through many challenges and School of Joy was born. In the first year, they had 13 students. we now have 90, with a waiting list as well. The problems of the covid pandemic and a long period of strikes by teachers in the state schools have left many more children needing a different type of education. The children come from all religious backgrounds. Some are simply behind in their education due to trauma or undiagnosed problems with their vision or hearing. The conflict since October 23 has left many more children traumatised and in need of specialist help. 

Others have cerebral palsy, autism, severe dyslexia or ADHD. Children have travelled in 25 miles away from Hebron to attend – because there’s still no other provision like this anywhere in the West Bank. Sadly we had a number of students post-October 7th who lived further away who couldn't attend in-person because it was not safe to travel. Those children were helped via online learning, with staff still teaching their classes in-person but also conducting lessons online for these students, knowing that these students desperately need the School of Joy. 

In 25 years, more than 1,250 students have graduated. Some have been able to catch up and return to mainstream schooling, while others have stayed for special education.

The staff help the children discover their talents and teach them skills that will help them support themselves. Many now have fulfilling careers - from olive wood carving to taxi driving, construction, floristry and hairdressing. Futures that nobody imagined was possible before School of Joy welcomed them in.

The attacks by Hamas on October 7th 2023 led to all schools being closed initially. Fr Mamdouh reopened the school a few days later, understanding that the children needed the stability and routine of school.   

The Role of Friends of the Holy Land

This vital school receives no state funding, and the majority of the students’ families are too poor to pay any fees.

Friends of the Holy Land has helped to fund School of Joy since 2009. Our support has enabled the school to double the number of classes, introduce better facilities, supply school lunches, trips and activities, and invest in well-qualified teaching staff.

We also help Father Mamdouh by arranging speaking engagements for him in the UK and encouraging pilgrimage organisers to make time in their itineraries to visit the school. We advise Father Mamdouh on the school’s accounts and how to manage overheads as effectively as possible.

Since the pandemic, which seriously disrupted the overseas travel that brought in donations, we have been the school’s only source of funding. That means our supporters are currently keeping these wonderful children in school. You can help by donating today or sponsoring a child through their time at School of Joy.

Returning pilgrims often tell us how rewarding and uplifting they found their visit to the School of Joy and how it will always have a special place in their heart. If you are planning to visit the Holy Land, please get in touch so we can help plan such an experience for you.

Visit the School of Joy website to learn more: School of Joy website 

Donate to the School of Joy