UNITAF
Unitaf was created in response to a severe lack of childcare and early education solutions for the migrant and refugee communities in Tel Aviv. While the state is obligated to provide temporary protection for asylum seekers, it has stopped short of extending social and medical rights to this group, creating an impossible situation for parents who work all day but are ineligible for childcare services available to Israelis. Since 2005, Unitaf has been working to open daycare centres, nurseries and after-school programmes for children between the ages of three months and six years, and now provides these essential early childhood services to over 1,600 children. The centres are run by a staff of women from the foreign community who are trained by Unitaf and work closely with the organization and its volunteers. In addition to a warm, nurturing environment and an education set to give children an equal start with their Israeli peers, the centres provide comprehensive psychosocial support for children and their parents, helping them with challenges arising from their refugee status. Sharing Unitaf’s commitment to the utmost importance of early childhood education, Anatta hopes to help the organization expand its vital services to more families in need.