Children at Risk

The official statistics indicate that 14% of all Israeli children under the age of 18 are considered to be at risk. Welfare services only have the capacity to reach 8% of them.
(Source: Ministry of Social Welfare, and Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute)
According to estimates, only in Beer-Sheva, some 2000 children at-risk don't get the required support.

Most of these children come from families who are unable to take on parental responsibilities because of chronic unemployment, substance addiction or alcoholism, violent behavior, dire poverty, dysfunctional or unstable settings…. Roughly 7%-8% of all Israeli families live in these extreme conditions. 70% of the prison population comes from families affected by delinquency, violence or drugs.

These at-risk children stand out early. Even as youngsters, they often have behavioral problems, relational difficulties and show a lack of social adaptation. In elementary school they struggle to master the basic skills of reading, writing and math. Almost all have poor grades. The more they lag behind, the more they lose their interest in studying. School simply becomes an obligation, the place where their lack of competence is on display.

Children at risk need to be supported when there is still time – as of first grade. They need a safe, warm and caring environment. But they also deserve to get an education that takes their personal hardships into account, without ever abandoning the hope of turning them into excellent all round students. This means giving them the drive for success, and the wherewithal to achieve their goals.

The Negba Association has deliberately chosen to locate its centers in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged area in Israel: the Negev. It operates where overstrained city welfare departments cannot be fully effective. Working in close collaboration with inner city social workers in the cities of Beer-Sheva and Sderot, Negba supports children who are the most at risk. Negba's goal is to expand its activities to help many more children at risk.