For the past eight years, the residents of Sderot and the western Negev, in particular children, have been greatly impacted by the rocket fire reality of the region. Rocket explosions and warning alarms leave kids feeling anxious, fearful and depressed. One study found that between 70 to 90 percent of Sderot children suffer from signs of post traumatic stress disorder. Among Sderot Media Center’s many activities, which includes relating the human story of Sderot, SMC places special emphasis on working with area youth. One of the center’s goals is to provide Sderot youth with creative opportunities to express their feelings, thus giving them the tools to manage their unique reality.
Past SMC Community Projects:
Shotetut: In conjunction with the Sderot Youth Center (Matnas), Sderot Media provided four cameras to a group of junior high school students who documented life in Sderot. The students then established a photo gallery featuring their photos of every day life in Sderot. You can read more about this project by clicking on the following link:
http://sderotmedia.com/bin/content.cgi?ID=109&q=1&s=2
Creative Writing Contest: A writing contest featuring songs, stories, and poems written by Sderot locals of all ages, which describe the realities of Sderot life. The writings will be published in Sderot’s local newspaper Din v’Cheshbon and on the Sderot Media Center website. To read more, click on the following link:
http://www.short.co.il/article.php?s=442
SMC’s Current Project:
Sderot Media Center is currently working to establish a group of area youth who, with the help of digital cameras, will document life in Sderot with the guidance of a professional photographer. A professional photographer will instruct beginner students and provide them with the necessary tools for working with photoshop and photo layout. The students will also gain upfront access to Sderot Media Center and will learn how a media center operates under real-time, capturing video footage, stories, and photos of Sderot residents living under rocket fire.
This six-week program will feature:
-A professional, government-certified photographer who will instruct the student group once a week for three hours.
-The instructor will provide both workshop instruction and guidance on the field. There will also be constructive criticism and help with photo layout.
– If it is possible, a photo gallery set up by the students will be open to the wider public.
Required Materials (estimated for a group of 10-20 students):
– Digital and stills cameras: Between 5-10 cameras/ one for each student pair.
– Laptops with Photoshop program: Between 2-4/ one for a group of four.
– Space for the group to meet in during the three-hour workshops once a week.
If you would like to sponsor this project or for further information, contact Hamutal: Cell: 0542-508916 or
e-mail: [email protected] .
