Writing a new story in the Middle East

Where children go, our books follow.

When children arrived in school shelters and refugee camps in Northern Lebanon in 2024, our Arabic language books were waiting for them. We provided learning materials and food kits — ensuring children were nourished in body and mind. We trained shelter staff to provide socio-emotional support.

In Palestine, with local partner ANERA, we will soon deliver 10,000 emergency packs to children in Gaza — twice as many as we initially planned. Each pack will include five Room to Read Arabic language storybooks, a sketchbook, a colored pencil set and a sharpener, all housed within a sturdy backpack. We will also soon start work on a new collection of 10 Arabic children’s titles, created by Palestinian authors and illustrators, with the goal to distribute 50,000 copies of these books to local schools, in partnership with Palestine’s Ministry of Education.




The steps we take to ensure education endures in emergency contexts provide children comfort and consistency. Our books support the development of strong literacy skills. They also help children work through the complex and challenging emotions of trauma.

For children living through chaos and uncertainty, having access to education creates a path to hope and fuels determination — determination to keep going, to write their own stories.

Our work in Lebanon and Palestine in recent years — and throughout the Middle East over the past decade — has enabled us to respond rapidly and appropriately to crisis. Support from partners like you will ensure this work continues.