The project was launched in July 2017, out of concern for children in the Israeli-Bedouin sector. Studies have shown that Bedouin children are more frequently injured in home accidents compared to other Israeli children, including children from the Israeli-Arab sector in general. In an attempt to mitigate this problem, ICL initiated the program and brought onboard several organizations: Matan – Investing in the Community, Ajeec – the Negev Institute, and Beterem for Child Safety, to conduct a special project aimed at improving the safety of Bedouin children living in the Negev.
The project includes three programs:
1. Safety at Home – This program includes activities for Israeli- Bedouin ICL employees and their families, with the goal of raising awareness among them regarding child safety and providing tools to adopt safe behavior.
ICL provides employment for approximately 5,600 Israeli-Bedouin workers (mostly indirectly, as they are employed by ICL’s contractors that work in ICL facilities). ICL integrates work safety and safe driving issues into courses and training which are provided to all employees periodically, thereby raising the awareness of ICL’s Israeli-Bedouin employees regarding the importance of children’s safety and the need to adopt safety values. ICL also provides tools to help its employees adopt safe behavior for the benefit of their children to create sustainable behavioral change among Company employees, as well as to assimilate such change among the employees’ families and their communities. ICL’s goal is to empower its employees to lead change in their respective communities.
2. Safety in the Community – In parallel with the activities mentioned above, ICL holds information events for employees and their communities, including in all Bedouin communities in the Negev to raise awareness of safety guidelines for children and the prevention of their injury in accidents. This activity is conducted together with the Forum of Imams of Ajeec. The forum includes 42 Bedouin Imams, representing diverse religious movements. Activities also include instruction on safety provided in parent group meetings, as well as seminars for school and kindergarten teachers. In 2020, instructional activities occurred in 18 community groups (comprising 275 women and 30 men), 10 Perach scholarship students were trained, and activities were adapted for COVID-19 circumstances. The Perach coordinators held children’s accidents prevention activities via Zoom. 2 training courses for professional educators were conducted through the PISGA centers in Rahat and Tel Sheva, with participation by 52 teachers. The seminar was adapted for remote instruction and has also undergone research evaluation. A safety campaign was launched during Ramadan, while during the summer instruction and teaching materials were developed, e.g., safety stories, a memory game featuring the character of Hassan Abu Allaman, PISGA course part 2, lesson sets for the Hassan Abu Allaman stories, etc.
3. Safety Cadets – This program is designed for the youth movement of Ajeec – the Negev Institute, encouraging children to become safety ambassadors, conveying messages to their parents, families, and communities. About 1,300 children take part in the program, from the Bedouin settlements of Hura, Kuseife, Rahat, Segev Shalom, as well as unrecognized villages in the region. In 2020, a counselor conference was held for the youth movement’s counselors. During the conference, Ajeec youth movement counselors acquired knowledge regarding accident prevention and practical tools for implementation in the community. The conference was held with the participation of 70 counselors of the Ajeec youth movement “Shabibat Ajeec” from both northern and southern Israel, as well as representatives of Beterem – Safe Kids Israel, Ajeec, and ICL volunteers. In addition, 575 members of the youth movement were instructed in community action for the prevention of children’s accidents.
ICL is proud to lead this important project, which is already bearing fruit. Hundreds of counselors and educators are reaching thousands of residents in the Bedouin communities with a message about the importance of safety. A study conducted in parallel to the project’s launch and implementation indicates the program’s positive impact on the prevention and the reduction of accidents.
