“Be my friend”… A student initiative to promote a bully-free school environment in Nablus.

Eight students from the first group within “EDMAAJ 2” youth project team implemented a qualitative initiative titled “Be My Friend,” aimed at enhancing a safe and positive school environment at Al-Amin Private School in the Bardala area of Nablus Governorate. This was achieved by promoting a culture of kindness and friendship among students and reducing instances of school bullying.

The idea for the initiative came after field observations made by the students during their previous training, where they noticed a noticeable increase in bullying cases among children. This motivated them to propose this awareness and educational initiative, aiming to empower children to adopt positive behaviors towards their peers and encourage a school environment characterized by respect and cooperation.

The initiative was implemented by the Madarat Center for Community Development, which coordinated and networked with the school administration to facilitate access to the target group and determine a suitable day for implementation in line with the students’ schedule.

The initiative targeted 144 male and female students through purposeful classroom and interactive activities, which included educational games, singing segments, and encouraging sessions, with the participation of play expert and clown Samar Al-Salios, alongside six initiative members and EDMAAJ 2 project team at the Madarat Center.

These activities aimed to raise students’ awareness of the dangers of bullying, enhance the values of friendship, tolerance, and belonging in an entertaining and educational manner that contributes to