Charity link-up as Jordanian orphans spend a day with SPANA
20 May 2005
The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) and SOS Children’s Villages teamed up this weekend to give a group of Jordanian orphans a day they will never forget.
The SPANA animal refuge and educational centre at Om Qsser east of Amman played host to two groups of children from the SOS Children’s Village in Amman.
SPANA Chief Executive Jeremy Hulme said “There have been an increasing number of academic studies which have shown considerable benefits to children from interacting with animals, particularly those who have suffered trauma.”
“We are delighted at this tie-up with SOS Children’s Villages( Amman) and hope that this day will be an extremely enjoyable day for them.
Research at Manchester Metropolitan University, undertaken in post-war Bosnia Hercegovina found that the development of empathy towards animals enhances the emotional health of children who have experienced trauma.
The SPANA educational centre was built as part of a programme of diversification from just providing free veterinary care. It gives schoolchildren a "hands-on" learning experience. As well as recreating Jordan's various natural habitats, the centre houses donkeys, rabbits and birds which youngsters can handle and feed.
Dr Ghazi Mostafa, director of SPANA in Jordan said: "It's been a tremendous success. We're booked up for months in advance. This centre is unique in the Middle East. There is nothing else like it."
Lina Kopty, national director of SOS Children’s Villages in Jordan, said, “This is a unique opportunity for the children living at the SOS Children's Village in Amman. On the one hand they can experience how important it is to care for an animal's well-being which means respect for any living creature. On the other hand the children learn how enriching and even therapeutic it can be to get in touch with animals."
SOS Children's Villages is a private, non-governmental, non-denominational organisation providing long-term care for destitute, abandoned and orphaned children in 132 countries and territories. In Jordan the organisation, whose patron is Queen Noor, runs three SOS Children's Villages (in Amman, Aqabe and Irbid).
ENDS
For More information: Simon Pope, SPANA – +44 (0)20 269 2689 or simon@spana.org or 00 962 6 586 5451 or 07811 404 874 (UK mobile number) (In Amman)
Notes to Editors
- SPANA’s Honorary President in Jordan is HRH Prince Nasim Ben Nayif.
- SPANA works in Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Ethiopia – where people depend on working animals for their livelihoods.
- SPANA has 18 veterinary centres and 20 mobile clinics, which treat sick and injured animals in areas where veterinary care is not available.
- SPANA treats over 300,000 animals a year, including donkeys, horses, camels, cattle, cats and dogs.
- SPANA works with governments, voluntary organizations and local people to save animals – none of which would be possible without the gifts we receive from our supporters.
For More Information - Simon Pope - Head of Communications, SPANA - 020 7629 2689 or 07811 404 874
Or email simon@spana.org