The Palestinian Happy Child Centre (PHCC) is a community-based non-profit organisation in Jerusalem. It was founded in 1994 and is led by a group of keen specialists. The aim of PHCC is to promote the welfare and well-being of Palestinian children using a multidisciplinary, holistic approach.

PHCC focusses on children’s health, education and rights, in particular for children with special needs, offering medical, psychological and educational services with the involvement of parents and the local community. They also maintain a large network of professionals and helpers in various regions of Palestine. It is no surprise that some 38,000 children and families have already benefitted from PHCC’s services.

PHCC has excellent contacts in various ministries (education, health and social welfare) and was able to convince the Palestinian ministry for health of the need for a country-wide programme for early recognition of health problems in children, which is now being implemented.

SA4D and the Palestinian Happy Child Centre worked on a programme for early-years development of children, in which interactive workshops trained teachers in the use of playful lessons to teach early childhood development.