In the wake of the deadly terror attack in southern Israel on October 7, an extraordinary initiative is gaining momentum to support the emotional and mental well-being of approximately 9,600 children and youth aged 6 to 18 in Sderot and the Eshkol Regional Council.
Founded and led by social entrepreneur Ronny Douek, the Resilience for Our Children operation is determined to provide immediate and high-quality assistance to those who have suffered the devastating impact of the conflict.
The initiative has already been funded with NIS 30 million, including a personal donation of 5 million from Douek himself, and aims to raise another 20 million.
One of the central tenets of this initiative is the "collective impact" model, which promotes joint efforts from all stakeholders, including the public, business, and social sectors, to tackle complex social problems.
To this end, Douek and his team have formed partnerships with leading resilience organizations in Israel, such as the Israeli Coalition for Trauma and Natal. They have also established collaborative working groups with relevant government authorities, including resilience, education, welfare, and health agencies.
Helping children recover
Resilience of Our Children is a comprehensive, year-long operation divided into two phases. The first phase involves immediate response and short-term care, offering a temporary residence in the Dead Sea and Eilat. The second phase focuses on continuous care for up to a year as the children return to their homes.
"We realized that the main areas of concern were the digital media and what was happening online. So we have actually, after meeting amazing people, decided to build a physical resilience center at the Dead Sea, one that is almost completed,” Douek said. “The facility will provide private areas for kids to receive mental treatment and therapy, as well as classrooms for group activities, from therapy to photography and writing."
Douek is convinced that the children and youth of Sderot and the Eshkol region are the true heroes of this crisis. Many of them have faced unthinkable losses, including parents, family members, homes, friends, and entire communities.
He emphasizes that their resilience is not only crucial for their personal healing but also a cornerstone of Israel's national resilience. As these young individuals are the future doctors, entrepreneurs, teachers, and leaders, the way Israeli society addresses this crisis will significantly shape the nation's image for decades to come.
"The backbone of Israeli society is the kids and the youth is the backbone of the families and the backbone of the society. If we're not going to rebuild the trust and the resilience of our kids and youth, in a year or two years time, we're going to have exactly what happened after the Holocaust when kids were not treated, coming out of the camps and generation upon generation who was suffering from post-trauma,” he told The Jerusalem Post. “We need to deal with it now."
More information regarding the Resilience for Our Children initiative (can be found here.) [https://www.yeladenu.org.il/]