Palestinian art center delivers painting tools to children infected with COVID-19

A Palestinian art center on Tuesday delivered special art kits to children infected with the novel coronavirus in the West Bank city of Ramallah in hope of alleviating the psychological impact of the disease on them.

The initiative was launched by the Visual Art Forum, an organization that focuses on promoting arts to children, together with the Governor of Ramallah district.

Dubbed "From our isolation, we draw our hope," the initiative provides painting tools for children to allow them to express their ideas while living away from their families and friends, said Dima Irsheid, director of the Visual Art Forum.

Among the 59 COVID-19 patients in Ramallah are 15 children who are all placed in a hotel that was turned to a quarantine center after the pandemic hit the West Bank.

The donated kits include colors and pencils of different types, colored paper and others to encourage the children to use their imagination during this special period of their life.

Leila Ghannam, governor of Ramallah and al-Bireh District, expressed her hope that those children will find comfort in the art kits which would help them spend their time constructively and use their creativity to think of something other than the virus.

"We are very grateful to any initiative that would help put a smile on our children's faces," said Ghannam.

"I'm hopeful that all their drawings will reflect hope, optimism, love and kindness and that we'll be safe with everybody's help," she added.

The number of Palestinians infected with the novel coronavirus has reached 261, including 59 in the Ramallah district, with 42 recoveries.