MESBAH: Mentoring Student Teachers for Gaza

Why MESBAH Matters

The escalation of conflict in Gaza has resulted in an unprecedented education crisis:

• 625,000 students are deprived of formal education due to school closures.
• The destruction of schools and learning spaces leaves children vulnerable to exploitation, child labor, and severe psychological distress.
• Makeshift "tent schools" have emerged, staffed by pre-service teachers but lacking structured mentorship, training, and essential resources.

MESBAH leverages the expertise of Al-Azhar University, Gaza, to create a structured mentorship program that supports pre-service teachers in these tent schools. By providing both academic and emotional support, MESBAH stabilizes learning environments, improves the quality of education, and fosters long-term recovery by developing a qualified teacher workforce.

Key Objectives

1. Facilitate Practicum Completion: Provide structured mentorship to help 50 pre-service teachers complete their practicum, graduate, and join the teaching workforce.
2. Prepare Teachers for Trauma-Sensitive Education: Train pre-service teachers in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Psychosocial Support (PSS) to stabilize classroom environments.
3. Enhance Children's Well-Being: Integrate SEL and PSS into daily school routines, fostering resilience and emotional stability among displaced children.
4. Engage Regional Mentorship Support: Build a mentorship network by leveraging faculty expertise from Gaza and the West Bank.
5. Establish a Scalable Model: Collect data to refine and expand the mentorship model across Gaza and publish findings in a peer-reviewed journal specializing in emergency education.

Target Beneficiaries

• Primary Beneficiaries: 600-800 displaced children who will receive psychosocial and educational support.
• Direct Beneficiaries: 50 pre-service teachers from Al-Azhar University, who will receive training, mentorship, and professional development.
• Support Beneficiaries: 15 mentors and 4 faculty members from Gaza and the West Bank, who will provide training and guidance.

Key Activities

• Mentorship Support: Pair pre-service teachers with mentors from Gaza and the West Bank to address both educational and emotional challenges.
• Training Sessions: Conduct targeted workshops on trauma-informed pedagogy, SEL, and psychosocial support.
• Portfolio Development: Assist teachers in documenting their teaching experiences and practicum requirements towards their BA in Education.
• Monitoring and Feedback: Implement structured mentorship meetings, classroom observations, and feedback sessions.
• Evaluation and Reporting: Assess program impact and contribute to global knowledge on education in emergencies.

Long-Term Goals

• A scalable mentorship model adaptable to other conflict-affected regions.
• Increased teacher capacity in Gaza to address shortages and crisis-related challenges.
• Strengthened resilience and emotional stability for both children and educators.

Project Leadership Team

• Montaser El-Halabi, MEd (Gaza)— Education and technology expert with 30 years of experience; Director, Practicum Department, Al-Azhar University.
• Mahmoud Baidoun, PhD (West Bank)— Clinical psychologist specializing in child protection and trauma intervention in crisis settings.
• Ahlam M. Musa, PhD (USA)— Expert in teacher training and multilingual education with experience in crisis-affected settings.
• Louis Cristillo, PhD (USA)— Education specialist with 40 years of experience in teacher development and capacity-building.
• Kathleen Copeland, MATESL/MAFLP (USA)— International teacher educator with expertise in literacy development and professional learning initiatives.

How You Can Help

Education is a lifeline for children in crisis, offering stability, hope, and the chance for a brighter future. MESBAH is making that possible by equipping pre-service teachers to provide safe, trauma-sensitive learning environments for Gaza’s displaced children. You can play a vital role in ensuring the success and sustainability of this initiative.

We welcome support from:

• Foundations and philanthropic organizations
• International and regional NGOs
• Multilateral agencies and development organizations
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs
• Universities and research institutions
• Individuals

Ways to contribute:

• Financial support— Fund mentorship training, stipends for pre-service teachers, and procurement of educational materials.
• In-kind donations— Provide teaching resources, learning kits, and digital tools to enhance training and classroom instruction.
• Institutional partnerships— Collaborate on mentorship programs, research, and expanding emergency education solutions.

By supporting MESBAH, you help sustain education as a source of resilience, empowerment, and for children and future teachers in Gaza.

Join in supporting us today!

Contact us to be part of this critical initiative.

Montaser El-Halabi (Faculty of Education, Al-Azhar University, Gaza)
Email: montaser12@gmail.com

Dr. Louis Cristillo, (Education Consultant, USA)
Email: musnyc@gmail.com

By supporting MESBAH, you help sustain education as a source of resilience, empowerment, and for children and future teachers in Gaza.