"PACES" was founded in June of 2006 with the central aim of providing healthy, structured after-school sports programs for Palestinian girls and boys; for boys who would otherwise be on the streets and exposed to violence and negative, or destructive, influences, and for girls as a means of getting them out of their homes and into programs that empower them.

Our starting point was the football pitches and basketball courts where we launched our first programs in November of 2006 for over 400 children in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah.

Our programs provide an escape for the children of Palestine, an escape from being idle on the streets, or in their homes, an escape that is fun, healthy, and encourages participation and excellence in an activity that is extremely important to their development. Our program encourages team-work and stresses the importance of work ethic through commitment to sports and regular practice. Our programs are open equally to girls and boys and we are extremely proud to have achieved our goal of a 50% girl’s participation rate.

PACES' after-school program uses football, basketball and volleyball training sessions as a vehicle to impart important life skills to children. Our program is concentrated in and around the most marginalized communities, refugee camps and remote villages across Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon reaching the most vulnerable and needy children between the ages of seven and sixteen. PACES partners with local and international NGOs to provide the children with workshops and exposure beyond sports that give them additional development opportunities.

For the 2012 program cycle we will have 7,000 children enrolled across Palestine; Jordan and Lebanon.

Our programs do more than provide a fun, healthy and educational alternatives to the children enrolled; they have also created employment opportunities for hundreds of coaches.