Final Week at YDD

My last week has been another busy week at YDD and I was provided with the opportunity to photograph two awareness sessions that YDD implemented. The first session was held at a community centre in Shu’fat Refugee camp. The camp is located about 15 minutes away from where I am currently living but it was like I was entering an entirely different world.

 As we drove past the checkpoint we were faced with busy and over-crowded streets where Palestinians went about their daily lives. As I gazed outside of the car window I saw a group of children walking through the checkpoint, making their way into the camp from their day at school. The children seemed happy enough and were merely going about their daily routine but for me it was a real eye-opener. When I think of my old walk to school I imagine the beautiful countryside and fields that I walked through. These youths are instead faced with checkpoints and the overpowering separation wall disconnecting them from the outside world. Although I have been in Palestine for a number of weeks now, the occupation is something that I learn from daily.

The awareness session was part of the ‘promoting healthy youth’ project and it proved a success. Staff from YDD provided a drug’s awareness session for parents about the dangers of legal highs and how they can provide support for their children and educate them on the dangers of taking drugs. The session was attended by both men and women and I was grateful to attend and photograph the meeting. The second awareness session was held at the YDD office and was attended by local youths in Jerusalem (both male and female) and I photographed this session too.

As well as photographing the two awareness sessions, I also created a Twitter page for YDD. I have learnt a lot about the importance of social media and how it can be used as an effective tool for awareness raising. Please follow us on @YDD_Youth. I have also designed YDD’s new website which is a crucial tool for them to raise awareness about their work and provide information for potential donors. It should be launched shortly so watch this space!