Abood, a fourth-year medical student at An-Najah University, has been awarded a full undergraduate scholarship through our partnership with the Madrinha Trust. Learn more about his annual community-based project below:
Journey to Wellness
In an effort to promote healthy habits among young children, my colleagues and I organised an interactive educational session at a kindergarten in the West Bank village of Deir Sharaf. Our aim was to teach essential personal hygiene practices and encourage healthy eating habits.
Understanding that young children learn best through engaging activities, we developed a series of recreational games focused on distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy behaviours. Storytelling and imitation exercises were used to demonstrate proper handwashing techniques and the importance of regular dental care—methods known to be effective in establishing good hygiene practices.
To reinforce the messages around nutrition, we included activities where children identified healthy food choices. At the end of the session, we distributed nutritious snacks, in line with guidance promoting the inclusion of fruits and vegetables in children’s daily diets.
By combining educational content with interactive play, we aimed to instil foundational health habits that can support the children’s long-term well-being.
The children were highly engaged and thoroughly enjoyed the activities. They quickly grasped the concepts, enthusiastically participating in the handwashing and food selection games. Their excitement and involvement clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of play-based learning in encouraging healthy habits.
