**Amputee Children in Gaza Find Confidence and Hope in Deir al‑Balah Swimming Pool**
*Deir al‑Balah, Gaza Strip – July 2024* – A new rehabilitation programme in the central Gaza city of Deir al‑Balah is using a public swimming pool to teach children who have lost limbs how to swim while providing them with psychological support. The initiative, launched in early July, is a joint effort of the non‑governmental organisation Al‑Shifa Palestine and the “Tanzif” swimming academy.
**From Pharmacist to Coach**
The programme’s lead trainer, Nour al‑Din Mohamed Mustafa Qashqash, a displaced resident originally from Beit Lahia, previously coached able‑bodied swimmers. While working as a pharmacist at an improvised medical point during the ongoing conflict, Qashqash was wounded by an Israeli sniper while attending to a small child. Despite the injury, he returned to the pool to train amputee children.
Qashqash said the transition “was very difficult” and that “adapting to this new reality is not easy for anyone.” He added that entering the pool “changed my mental state, moving me from isolation and negative energy to a sense of positivity and activity.” He also recalled his own ambition to become a swimmer representing Palestine and now seeks to “plant that dream in a child who has lost a limb, hoping one day he may swim for the Palestinian national team and carry our people’s cause to the world.”
**Support and Training**
Al‑Shifa Palestine’s swimming project manager, Ibrahim Abu Jarrad, explained that the three‑month programme began in July and currently serves 22 children, with plans to double the enrolment. The project employs a team of 12 coaches and supervisors—four male and four female trainers—supported by rescue staff. Psychological assistance is provided by specialised coaches to help the children overcome trauma and fear of water.
Qashqash received guidance from experienced figures, including Saadi Al‑Masri and Captain Khdeir, a representative
Article and image source: pnn.ps
